


Fateful Night in Ba Sing Se

by mangx3



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Action/Adventure, Aged-Up Character(s), Canon Compliant, Comfort, Dirty Talk, Dom/sub Undertones, Drama & Romance, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Oral Sex, Post-Series, Post-War, Romance, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Smut, Vaginal Sex, Zutara, Zutara Month, Zutara Month 2020, Zutara Week
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:09:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 91,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27295450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mangx3/pseuds/mangx3
Summary: Building a new world is never easy. Years after the end of the war, one night between Zuko and Katara leads to the reveal of hidden truths and disrupts their plans of the peaceful lives they thought they'd have. Even when everything spins wild, they will always find each other. What are they willing to sacrifice when the other is on the line? How long will they put their duties before themselves?Zuko gave her a sad smile, the slightest quirk of his lips. "I'm just the Fire Nation boy that hurt you too many times. And you were in love with Aang. How could I tell you that you mean everything to me?""You're not just the Fire Nation boy that hurt me. You're the one that proved me wrong. That saved my life. That understood what it was like to have someone taken from you the way I have. That—""Grew up into the man… who shouldn't feel the way he does. Because it's not fair to you."
Relationships: Katara & Zuko (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Comments: 257
Kudos: 446





	1. Chapter 1

Zuko's steely gaze alighted on the dark home as his carriage slowed. The street lamps cast a warm glow over the empty roads, accentuating the golden tiles that adorned the homes of the city's Upper Ring. Once the carriage finally came to a full stop, he stepped down from the compartment and stood at the foot of the steps leading to the large structure that would act as his temporary home for the next few weeks. The compound mirrored the city as it was surrounded by a high stone fence that deterred thieves and kept curious eyes at bay.

The young Fire Lord ran a hand over his face, feeling the effects of his travels echo throughout his body. Servants immediately came down the steps of the ornate home in a single file line, ready to take his bags from the carriage. Zuko inclined his head at his driver in thanks before heading up the stairs to enter the home, which immediately lit up as his presence was made known.

One of the Earth Kingdom staff rushed behind him. "Fire Lord Zuko, welcome to Ba Sing Se! Before you settle in for the night, I'd like to—"

Zuko stopped short, causing the young woman to stumble on the step below him to avoid running into him. Zuko quickly reached out and grabbed her by the elbow to make sure she didn't fall down the steps, letting go as soon as he was sure she was steady.

"Forgive me for being curt, but I've traveled here directly from the Fire Nation capital— after a full day of preparing to leave it to my council of advisors— to come to the Earth Kingdom for the spring summit and it was a long trip. I'd like to retire for the night and I'll be happy to look over any itinerary the Earth King's set up in the morning."

The young woman widened her brown eyes as the Fire Lord spoke directly to her. He was not known to be unkind, but he had rightfully developed a reputation for being intimidating and she was now witnessing it firsthand as she stared into his golden eyes. Her mouth moved without making sound for a few moments before she blinked and quickly nodded her head, feeling a blush spread on her cheeks. She stammered out, "Y-y-yes, of course. That— that's not a problem, Fire Lord Zuko. I should've realized. I'm so sorry—"

"There's nothing to apologize for," Zuko cut in. His face softened slightly and he ventured, "Have a good night…" He raised an eyebrow at her questioningly.

The young woman stared at him before belatedly answering, "Qing Zi."

"Good night, Qing Zi." Zuko nodded and once more turned to enter the home. He froze before crossing the entrance when he heard another carriage approach. He turned over his shoulder and saw Qing Zi quickly approach it.

"Master Katara, welcome to Ba Sing Se!"

Zuko's jaw dropped and before he knew it, he found himself walking down the steps again, towards her. Zuko watched as a small hand gripped the frame of the carriage door and soon thereafter, Katara emerged from the carriage, greeting Qing Zi with a warm, albeit exhausted smile.

"Thank you for receiving me, especially at such a late hour. Really, it's very kind of the Earth King to attend to me in such a way. I apologize, but I am quite tired from traveling from the South Pole."

"Of course, I understand completely, Master Katara—"

"Just Katara is fine," she interrupted kindly. "And your name is?"

"Qing Zi, ma'a'm. The Earth King would like to ensure that your arrangements are to your liking as well as invite you to breakfast at the Royal Palace tomorrow."

"I'm certain that the arrangements will be more than sufficient. I'm never disappointed when I travel to Ba Sing Se. The Earth Kingdom is always more than accommodating and I appreciate its gracious hospitality with every visit. And please pass along my acceptance of his invitation. If you don't mind, Qing Zi, I'd like to rest for the remainder of the night as I'm sure the summit business will begin right after breakfast tomorrow."

Qing Zi nodded quickly and waved an arm over to instruct the other servants to retrieve Katara's bags. "Absolutely. We'll have the privilege of bringing your bags in for you in order to save you some trouble. Before I let you go, I'd like to let you know— due to the amount of dignitaries arriving for the Earth King's birthday celebrations and following summit meetings, we cannot accommodate single-occupant dwellings as we are usually able to."

Katara nodded in understanding. "That makes sense. I assume I'm sharing the house with Master Bei Fong as usual then?"

Taking a deep breath, Qing Zi inclined her head slightly. "Lady Bei Fong declined the invitation as she has much to oversee at her fledgling Metalbending Academy and cannot attend the spring summit completely. She will be able to make it for his birthday celebration, however."

"That sounds like her, alright," Katara muttered under her breath. She sighed and assured Qing Zi, "No worries, I'm sure that my itinerary will be filled with activities so my housemate and I will scarcely see each other. The lodgings are so generous, I doubt we'll ever cross paths." Katara squeezed Qing Zi's shoulder before stepping past her. "I think you all should head home and get some rest. The next few weeks will be very busy for you. Good night."

Qing Zi made to call out after her, but she stopped at the sight before her. As Katara made her way up the steps, the curt Fire Lord had come out from the entranceway of the home to meet Katara halfway with a small, rare smile on his face. Even more surprising was that he welcomed the way the master Waterbender threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. The force of her embrace caused him to stagger back, but he shifted the momentum by sweeping Katara around in a circle, settling her back down on the steps above him so that they were eye level.

"Zuko! You're here? What a surprise!" Katara cried out, a disbelieving laugh coloring her voice.

"I can say the same." Zuko pulled back and offered her a boyish smile with enough shyness to soften his angular face. "Hate to disappoint you, but it looks like I'll be your housemate for the duration of this visit."

Katara's blue eyes were bright and crinkled at the corners as she spoke with a grin. "Are you kidding me? This is much better than what I was expecting. If I wasn't rooming with Toph, I thought they'd pair me up with a stuffy Earth Kingdom noblewoman," she joked.

Approaching them timidly, Qing Zi explained, "Yes, I was hoping to give both of you a warning but it seems like it wasn't necessary… Generally, the Earth King would have set up the homes so as to ensure same-sex housemates, for propriety and comfort's sake, but in your case, he assured me that the two of you wouldn't mind due to your history together."

Katara froze and Zuko's eyebrow skyrocketed. "Excuse me?" he asked tightly.

"King Kuei mentioned that you two had often traveled together in the past and would be comfortable with the living arrangements. I'm sorry if this isn't the case. I can certainly make new ones if you'd like!"

Both war heroes relaxed and Katara shook her head. "That's not necessary, Qing Zi. King Kuei was correct. I certainly don't have any issue sharing a house with Fire Lord Zuko."

"Nor do I." Zuko reiterated his previous words, "Have a good night, Qing Zi. Master Katara and I appreciate your attention to us, but it's late and as we've all mentioned, the next few weeks will be very busy for us all."

"Of course. Good night, Fire Lord Zuko. Master Katara—I mean… just Katara," she amended at the look on Katara's face. Qing Zi bowed and at her signal, the servants who had taken in their bags followed her as they filed into Zuko and Katara's now-empty carriages and rode through the deserted streets of the Upper Ring, presumably back to the servants' quarters at the Royal Palace.

Zuko and Katara watched them disappear into the darkness before entering the house, Zuko pausing at the entranceway to allow Katara to walk in before him. Katara gave him a knowing smile at the show of chivalry and Zuko quickly used his Firebending to light the fireplace in the main room. The spring season had not officially started so the nights were still on the cooler side, even in the Earth Kingdom. The sitting room was grand and filled with numerous cushions and banquettes, comfortable enough to host a large family, let alone two young adults. It seemed Katara wasn't wrong in saying that she would be able to avoid her housemate in a home as grand as this.

Of course, knowing that Zuko was her housemate meant that she wouldn't have to make those efforts. Katara made her way into the kitchen and used her Waterbending to siphon water into the kettle she was using to prepare tea. Within seconds, the water had boiled under her control and she neatly poured the tea from the kettle into two cups with an almost lazy flick of her wrist. She held one out for Zuko with a smile and he took it from her somewhat hesitantly before joining her at the kitchen table.

"We've certainly camped out in worse conditions," she commented before taking a sip.

With an uncharacteristically un-royal snort, Zuko agreed, "Tell me about it. I'll never forget camping out next to Toph's earth tent. Especially when she was going through one of her weeks when she refused to bathe."

Katara wrinkled her nose at the memory and laughed softly. "The fights we would get into about personal hygiene, oh she would get under my skin like no one else. And she knew it and loved it. No one, except maybe Suki, will understand the horror of being the sole female in a group of teenage boys. And I'm including Toph in that."

Unsure of how to answer, Zuko let the silence linger for a beat too long before asking, "Is Aang not coming? Is that why you're traveling alone?"

The smile fell from Katara's face and Zuko immediately felt sick to his stomach, knowing he had said something wrong. "Sorry. I just assumed… that you'd be staying with him since… you know, you two are... Aang is okay, isn't he? I mean, I think I would've heard if he wasn't. You guys would have told me... right?"

Katara hugged the teacup and stared into the dark amber liquid thoughtfully, one of her slender fingers circling the rim distractedly. She looked up at Zuko from under her lashes, biting her lip nervously. "Aang and I… aren't Aang and I anymore," she revealed lowly. "That's why I'm not staying with him. I don't even know if he's coming to Ba Sing Se or if he's here already."

Zuko blinked and raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh. When did that happen? Not that you have to answer, it's none of my business!" The rest of his words tumbled out in a rush and Zuko fought to cringe. He woodenly chugged his cup of tea, resisting the urge to wince at the scalding liquid. After years of being the Fire Lord, he still hadn't quite mastered the art of handling awkward conversation. "I'm sorry," he said again after a long moment.

Katara shook her head and raised her head to meet his eyes fully. "You couldn't have known." She lifted one shoulder in a mini-shrug. "I'd assume he's coming or at the very least, he was invited. He _is_ the Avatar, after all."

Zuko picked up on the slight bitterness in her tone. "Do… you want to talk about it?"

"I couldn't put you through that, Zuko."

It was Zuko's turn to shrug. "I'm here to listen if you need."

Katara held his gaze, her brow furrowed in thoughtfulness as she acknowledged the sincerity in his tone. "You always were a good listener, huh?"

Nervously scratching the back of his neck, Zuko felt his cheeks warm. "Not exactly a big talker, myself."

"I remember," Katara replied wryly. "You were more of a yeller or barker of orders," she teased.

With a small smile, Katara looked back down at her tea and back at him again. "There's a lot to catch up on. It's been nearly a year since we last saw you at Sokka and Suki's engagement celebration. And even then, you didn't stay for the whole thing." She spoke with light censure, like a mother scolding her children for not coming home to visit more often.

"Or I should say, it's been at least a year since _I've_ last seen you. When I last saw Aang during his visit to the South Pole for the wedding, he mentioned that he's seen you more regularly the last few months while you two hammered out the details of the food supply shipments to the repopulated Air Temples."

Zuko began to open his mouth to retort, but Katara held up a hand to stop him. "I know, I know. Being the ruler of a nation keeps you from making social calls. Trust me, we were all happy that you were able to make an appearance at all. But it wouldn't hurt you to write more often."

"I always respond," Zuko insisted.

"Then it's a good thing I always write first, isn't it?" she pointed out.

"I imagine you would understand how busy it can get… being the Avatar's Waterbending teacher."

Katara shook her head. "Not really. I stopped being Aang's teacher years ago… but being his girlfriend? Yeah… I was more busy helping Aang chase _his_ dreams around the world. Though I still made sure to write to everyone," she pointed out. "It was a lot of nights spent sleeping on Appa's back. Which is fine… when you're fourteen and the fate of the world is resting on your shoulders. But at twenty with the world at relative peace? Not so much."

"I'm sorry," Zuko said eventually.

"You're apologizing an awful lot for something you have nothing to be sorry for."

Zuko smirked. "Consider it me making up for chasing you guys around for a year."

"Zuko, we cleared that debt a long time ago."

Her oceanic eyes held his purposefully and Zuko found himself marveling at them. He often heard that the eyes were the windows to a person's soul, but he knew it to be undoubtedly true with Katara. When she was angry, her eyes were dual storms and when she smiled, they were the bright blue of a clear day. And when she looked at him the way she did now, with an intensity as deep as the seas, he often found himself swallowed up in their mystery. His gaze fell to her full lips, but he quickly caught himself and met her eyes again.

"Still feels like I've got payments to make," he murmured.

Katara stared directly into his eyes, the golden orbs meeting hers intently. She reached out and gently placed her hand over his and she smiled at him, "Not with me." She slowly pulled her hand back and Zuko fought to hold back a sigh as her warmth disappeared from his skin.

His impulsive nature getting the best of him, he asked, "Alright, I do have a bone to pick with you. Why didn't you mention you and Aang in your letters?"

"It's not exactly something I wanted to announce, is it?" Katara muttered sourly. "Besides, Aang didn't mention anything to you when he saw you, did he?" Katara crossed her arms over her chest and huffed, "We broke up months ago, in the time after his birthday and before Sokka and Suki's wedding." Katara pursed her lips and looked back down at her tea. "I didn't have the heart to do it before his birthday. How lousy of me would that have been?"

Zuuko twisted his face. "Not as lousy as dumping him through a letter. Take it from me."

"A letter? You mean, you broke up with Mai through a—"

"A few months?" Zuko countered, raising an eyebrow at her. "So that's why you've been hiding out at the South Pole. I thought you were just helping Sokka and Suki with wedding preparations and got stuck there," he mused, recalling the latest update from her letters.

Katara scoffed, "I was not ' _hiding out_ '. I was…I hadn't been home in a while! My Gran-Gran isn't getting any younger. Neither is Pakku, and there are so many young Waterbenders now and they needed a teacher and I…" Her shoulders sagged and she rolled her eyes. "Okay, I was hiding out a _little_ ," she grumbled under her breath.

"You forget I have excellent hearing," Zuko reminded her. "And I'm sure you were needed at the South Pole and still are. It's also your home and there's nothing wrong with wanting to be home. Agni knows that I understand that better than anyone. But Katara, you've seen the world and done so much, do you really want to stay at the South Pole forever?"

"I've seen the world and done so much… but I haven't seen enough of my own home. Helped enough of my own people." Katara sighed. "Maybe that's the Water Tribe in me talking. Maybe it's just me making excuses."

Zuko shook his head. "You shouldn't have to apologize for wanting to be home," he repeated. "My Uncle Iroh once told me that the Water Tribes' greatest strength comes from their never ending sense of community and love, especially in the midst of adversity and change. I understand if you're feeling homesick or guilty that you haven't done enough for the people who raised you. It's who you are. You care deeply. And again, who am I to cast judgment? I went on a wild goose chase for years for the slimmest of chances to return home."

"Oh Zuko…" Katara grinned. "When did you get so wise? Then again... a _letter_?"

Rolling his golden eyes at her, he ignored her not-so-subtle attempt to learn more about his romantic failing and retorted, "Maybe I've spent too much time with my uncle."

"Impossible!" Katara laughed. "Is he still here in Ba Sing Se?"

Zuko couldn't help but smile a little at the thought of the most important male figure in his life. "Couldn't take him away from that tea shop of his if you tried."

Katara lifted her teacup at him. "Challenge accepted. I'll make sure to invite him out to lunch while I'm here," she said, before finishing off her tea. She took the empty cup and placed it in the water basin to wash in the morning before turning back and leaning back down, resting her elbows on the table. Zuko smiled wistfully as he remembered Katara's strict cleaning habits from when they traveled together.

"What about you, Zuko? It's been a long time since you and Mai split up. Please don't tell me that in the last three years, you've done nothing but sit behind a desk or on that grand throne of yours. I know that the women at court have to be throwing themselves at the most eligible bachelor in the nation."

He averted her gaze. He felt the familiar heat of a blush reaching his cheeks for the second time that night, when before tonight, he couldn't recall blushing in the last year alone. Zuko cleared his throat and turned his attention to tracing a particularly interesting vein on the marble table with a long finger. "You try being the leader of the most hated nation in the world. And on top of that, being hated by half of your own people."

"I'm sure that's not true. And it's been five years since the war's end. There are still wounds, but the progress you've made since then has been incredible. Take it from the girl who's flown all over the world and has seen it firsthand. You're making a true difference, Zuko." Katara stood tall and crossed her arms over her chest, lifting an eyebrow at him suspiciously. "And what do you mean? Have you had trouble with some of your father's old supporters?"

"Nothing to worry about," Zuko brushed off.

"I should hope not, since this is the first time I'm hearing of it. You know you can always ask me for help," she prodded.

Zuko looked her in the eye purposefully. "You know I can't ask that of you."

"You know that you can and you _should_." Katara kept his gaze. "Besides, now I'm a free agent with no concrete plans."

"Sounds nice," he said flippantly.

Katara scoffed. "When was the last time you took a vacation?"

"I can't just take a vacation from being the Fire Lord, Katara," Zuko insisted.

"I think you can, you just haven't tried." Katara's eyes softened. "You're a great leader, Zuko. And the best that the Fire Nation's had in a long time. In order to sustain and continue the work you've done, you need to make sure that you don't get burnt out." Zuko's lip twitched and Katara bit down on her lower lip before allowing herself to smile.

"Pun intended?" he drawled.

"Pun intended," she answered.

They held their eye contact until Katara broke away to yawn loudly. Zuko smiled and nodded at her. "You've had a long travel day," he hinted.

Still yawning, Katara waved him off, "So have you."

"You need rest."

"You're one to talk."

"Do you always have to make everything an argument?" he sighed.

"You make it so easy," she smirked. "But you're right; we have an early day in the morning and should probably call it a night."

Zuko stood from his seat and awkwardly stood across the table from her. "Right…"

Katara laughed softly under her breath before walking around the table to hug him briefly. Almost immediately, Zuko was taken back to when he was sixteen and he had finally earned her forgiveness after helping her confront her mother's murderer. He was always surprised whenever Katara graced him with a hug and could never respond in time. This time, he was quicker to react and returned the embrace before she could walk away from him. Katara stiffened at first, moreso due to the shock as Zuko rarely returned the gesture, but easily leaned into him before pulling back and looking up at him with the slightest curve to her lips.

"Good night, Zuko," she said softly.

"Good night, Katara."

Katara averted her eyes as she felt a small blush warm her cheeks unexpectedly. Zuko stepped back and let her go so she could go to her room. He leaned his head back to stare at the ceiling and let out a long breath.

"Zuko?"

The young Fire Lord whipped around to see her standing at the corridor, nearly hidden from view as she was about to turn into the hallway that led to her room. "I'm really glad we have the chance to see other again and just talk. It's been too long." Her eyes turned away for a moment before meeting his again. Zuko noticed a faint blush dusting her cheeks as she added quietly, "I missed you."

"Katara…" A gentle smile appeared on Zuko's lips and the sight of it warmed Katara. "I… yeah. Me, too."

His response was enough for Katara to beam at him before disappearing around the corner.


	2. Chapter 2

_Last Time…_

_Katara laughed softly under her breath before walking around the table to hug him briefly. Almost immediately, Zuko was taken back to when he was sixteen and he had finally earned her forgiveness after helping her confront her mother's murderer. He was always surprised whenever Katara graced him with a hug. This time, he was quicker to respond and returned the embrace before she could walk away from him. Katara stiffened at first, moreso due to the shock as Zuko rarely returned the gesture, but easily leaned into him before pulling back and looking up at him with the slightest curve to her lips._

_"Good night, Zuko," she said softly._

_"Good night, Katara."_

_Katara averted her eyes as she felt a small blush warm her cheeks unexpectedly. Zuko stepped back and let her go so she could go to her room. He leaned his head back to stare at the ceiling and let out a long breath._

_"Zuko?"_

_The young Fire Lord whipped around to see her standing at the corridor, nearly hidden from view as she was about to turn into the hallway that led to her room. "I'm really glad we have the chance to see other again and just talk. It's been too long." Her eyes turned away for a moment before meeting his again. Zuko noticed a faint blush dusting her cheeks as she added quietly, "I missed you."_

_"Katara…" A gentle smile appeared on Zuko's lips and the sight of it warmed Katara. "I… yeah. Me, too."_

_His response was enough for Katara to beam at him before disappearing around the corner._

* * *

Zuko's face was carefully impassive as he stood alone on the outskirts of the crowd. His golden eyes remained uninterested as they surveyed the multitude of political leaders and nobility that made up the guest list at King Kuei's birthday celebration. He drank down his goblet of wine quickly and sighed under his breath, mentally steeling himself to navigate through the crowd to refill his drink.

"Make sure to leave some for the rest of us, while you're at it."

Zuko rolled his eyes as he turned towards the owner of that voice. "Toph— _whoa_."

Toph grinned toothily and elbowed Katara, causing the older woman to wince slightly as the younger one's elbow hit a particularly tender area of her abdomen. "What did I tell you, Sugar Queen? We look hot. Even without sight, I knew we'd make him go speechless. His heartbeat is going _crazy_."

"Toph!" Katara hissed, her cheeks turning red. "You're the one who insisted on going to the spa and getting made up since you'd forgotten what it was like to be a woman teaching your 'heathen students' the fine art of Metalbending."

Toph shrugged, the easygoing smile never leaving her face. "I deserve to be pampered for the bullshit I put up with thanks to those idiots." There was no real heat to her tone and Katara and Zuko both knew that she held her students in high regard, though she'd never admit it.

"Toph's right, Katara. You both look… nice," Zuko finished lamely.

Katara lifted her eyes to him. "Thank you, Zuko," she replied bashfully.

Zuko nodded and gulped nervously. He was the Fire Lord and a twenty-two year old man, but for the life of him, he couldn't help but feel like a bumbling teenager all over again. But Toph wasn't wrong. Both women looked beautiful. He recognized the fine clothing that was gifted on behalf of the Earth King. He had received his own set of gifted robes, but had elected to wear his usual dress robes and armor as a representative of the Fire Nation.

He looked over the pale green robes on both of the women. Toph's robes matched her eyes perfectly and was embroidered with the insignia of her family, the flying boar. Katara's robes were plainer as she had no family insignia to boast, but the creamy pastel complimented her tan skin and chestnut hair, which was out of its usual braid and allowed to tumble down her back in thick waves. Her blue eyes were bright as usual, carefully lined with kohl, and sparkled with golden shimmer. Her cheeks were lightly dusted with rouge and he saw the same color painted over her full lips, the color accentuating her wide smile.

Toph pushed past them, "Come on, you two. Let's hit the free booze."

Katara shared a look with Zuko before shaking her head and trailing after their friend. As they watched Toph fill her plate with food, Katara leaned in close to Zuko so he could hear her over the music and rumble of conversation surrounding them.

"How was your day? I feel like I haven't seen you at all the last two weeks. You're always out the door before me or missing or asleep by the time I get home."

"The meetings have been the same as always. I'm afraid there's not much to tell there," he replied with a small smile.

Katara laughed. "I'm sure there's bound to be something interesting if they take up your whole day."

Looking her in the eye, Zuko deadpanned, "I assure you, there's _not_ ," which only made Katara laugh harder. At her joy, Zuko felt himself joining in her revelry, grinning back at her.

"Oh poor thing, being the Fire Lord and stuck in boring meetings all day. Well, if it makes you feel any better, it's been a lot of the same for me. I have half a mind to send a messenger hawk to Sokka demanding that he end his honeymoon early and do his duty as the Southern Water Tribe Ambassador."

Zuko's grin widened. "You wouldn't dare."

"Of course not. He and Suki have delayed their honeymoon for months in favor of their duties for far too long. They deserve this time off. I even had to beg them to let me step in as interim ambassador so, no, I wouldn't dare. But I _want_ to. I can't believe it's only been two weeks."

They laughed and Zuko took another sip from his refilled goblet. "I'm sorry that I couldn't make the wedding."

"You were called away to help your people. Sokka and Suki understand. And your wedding gift was very generous," she recalled.

He made a large donation towards the ongoing project to rebuild Kyoshi Island as well as provided the supplies that would be used to build Sokka and Suki's family home on the island. And Zuko made sure to do so using funds from the royal family's private vaults, not his people's tax money.

"Doesn't mean I don't feel guilty."

Katara sighed. "Zuko, it doesn't take much for you to feel guilty," she pointed out.

He tipped his goblet out to her in acknowledgement. "Alright, that's fair."

Katara watched him from the corner of her eye as he drank his wine. He really did look quite magnificent in his full robes. His pale skin was like marble against the rich hues of black and dark red. And his hair was definitely much longer than she had remembered, the dark lengths falling like silk down his back. The childhood softness had completely disappeared from his face, his features sharp and handsome. He had turned away from the crowd to lock eyes with her again and Katara was held captive by the amber orbs. He looked directly into her eyes and Katara'a stomach dropped, feeling terribly exposed under his gaze.

"Are you going to share?" she asked suddenly.

Zuko raised an eyebrow but offered her his goblet. "Since when do you drink?" he asked, amusement lighting up his eyes.

"Since I've had to step in as ambassador," Katara grumbled before taking a large gulp, relishing in the immediate warmth that spread from her stomach to her cheeks. " _Oh_ , that's much stronger than the wine from Sokka and Suki's wedding."

Zuko couldn't help but chuckle as he took the goblet back from her, his golden eyes crinkling from his smile. "Only the best for the Earth King's birthday. But this particular liquor is best appreciated when sipped, not chugged."

Katara matched his smile and reminded him, "And how many goblets have you had?"

He leaned in and stage whispered, "I've been drinking far longer than you have and have a much higher tolerance than you."

Katara stared into his golden eyes, bright with levity, and at the way his lips curved in a teasing smirk. He was leaning in so closely she could catch whiffs of the smell that often lingered behind in the halls of the house they shared, the only hint of him left behind on days when he had an earlier morning than her. It was masculine, clean, and comforting. She nearly found herself leaning in towards him and caught herself, suddenly pulling back with a start. Her hands instinctively clenched into fists as she moved away.

Zuko also found himself leaning in towards the Waterbender, her blue eyes captivating him. He jumped back when the wine in the goblet sloshed around and he narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Katara, though his glare held no real malice. She maintained a look of innocence, her eyes wide. Part of it was genuine shock since she hadn't had an issue with emotional Waterbending in years.

"I know far better than to believe that look, Katara." He swallowed nervously, somewhat grateful for what he perceived to be a light prank.

She grinned impishly. "I suppose you do," she replied smoothly, though her heart was racing. She looked over her shoulder to see Toph watching them with an entertained expression as she ate her food. She gestured at Katara and Katara rolled her eyes before turning away from the smirking Earthbender. Katara nervously shifted her weight before asking, "Do you want to dance?"

Zuko raised his eyebrow at her. "I'm not very good," he hedged.

"No one's asking you to be," she said kindly. She took the goblet from his hand and placed it on the table behind them as she held out her hand. Zuko hesitated before he reached out to take it.

"Zuko!"

Before he could, both Zuko and Katara turned towards the voice and Zuko's eyes widened as he saw his old friend approaching them.

"Aang? What are you doing here?" he asked. "King Kuei had made an announcement at the start of the summit that you wouldn't be coming. That your work with the Air Acolytes in the Eastern Air Temple didn't allow for you to leave for this long."

Aang smiled genially. "It doesn't," he answered. "But I _won't_ be long. I just wanted to make sure I made a quick appearance and I'll be headed back to the Eastern Air Temple in the morning. King Kuei's been very helpful in the efforts to bring the temple back to its former glory and I want to make sure he knows that his help is appreciated."

Zuko nodded in understanding. "It's good to see you, Aang. It's been a while."

Aang's smile widened. "It's good to see you, too, Sifu Hot Pants."

Making a face, Zuko groaned, "You and Toph really have no respect for me, do you?"

"Are you kidding, Zuko? You're one of my best friends. I have nothing but respect for you."

"Sure doesn't seem that way," Zuko mumbled.

But Zuko knew that the young Avatar meant every word as he often reached out to Zuko for advice. He had no doubt that having been the Avatar and the world's saving grace from the age of twelve weighed heavily on the young man's mind and he was happy to offer any kind of advice afforded to him in the extra four years of life experience he held over him. He knew that it was often hard for many to remember that Aang was only eighteen years old.

"In any case, I'm glad you were able to make an appearance. It's getting harder and harder for us all to see each other."

Aang nodded eagerly and agreed, "Me, too. We're all so busy now." His grey eyes slid over to Katara. "Katara, you look beautiful."

Katara's face remained carefully impassive, but she did smile at him and responded graciously, "Thanks, Aang, that's sweet of you to say. Zuko's right; it's good to see you." Her smile widened a bit. "You grew more," she observed.

Aang beamed at her words and Zuko was immediately reminded of the effect Katara's words had on the young Airbender. He thrived on her praise and positive feedback, perhaps to the detriment of his personal growth.

"Have I?"

"You have," Zuko interjected. "You're nearly my height now."

The Airbender's face had also lost its childhood roundness and from the light shadow on his chin, Zuko would guess that he was attempting to grow out his facial hair. His slight frame filled out more as well.

"I'd recognize those footsteps anywhere. That growth spurt was better late than never, right, Twinkletoes?" Toph joined their circle and crossed her arms.

Aang blushed. "Yeah, I guess… thanks, Toph." He chewed on his lower lip nervously before telling Katara, "The Air Acyolytes ask about you all the time."

Katara pressed her lips together before nodding in understanding. "That's very thoughtful of them. I hear that your progress with the temple has been going well, not that I'm surprised at all. They're so eager to learn the ways of the Air Nomads and I'm glad you're able to pass on the teachings and culture of your people. I know how important it is to you." She averted her eyes and turned to Toph. "Get a drink with me?"

Toph made a face as if she were about to refuse, but then she nodded and walked away with the Waterbender. Zuko stood awkwardly with Aang as the young Airbender stared after Katara with lovesick eyes. Zuko placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder and sighed. "So…"

Aang turned to Zuko. "I miss her."

Zuko fought the urge to sigh again. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"You know?"

"Even if I didn't, that latest interaction would've clued me in. But yeah, Katara let me know the first night we settled into the house." Zuko frowned at him. "You didn't mention anything the last few times we caught up. Katara told me you two broke up a while ago," he prodded.

"Not something I wanted to share," Aang mumbled. "Besides, I thought that the break up would just be temporary…but it seems like Katara won't be changing her mind anytime soon."

"That's rough, buddy."

Aang furrowed his brow. "You guys are rooming together? I thought she'd room with Toph."

"Toph didn't want to stay here since she's focusing on her school. She made an exception for the Earth King's birthday celebration. So it's just Katara and me."

"It's like she doesn't even miss me."

"She misses you— as a friend," Zuko was quick to amend his words when he saw Aang's face light up. "She'll always care about you, Aang."

"I know," Aang replied. "But… she doesn't love me the way I love her."

"She told you that?"

Aang nodded, his brow knit together as he recalled the memory. "Basically. Not in so many words, or that plainly, but she didn't have to explain. I could tell. Before we decided to officially break up, she kept dancing around it. I just kept ignoring the signs and hoped that she'd never go through with it. And I know she's trying to be nice and not hurt my feelings and doesn't want to lead me on… but damn, I miss her. It's like she can't even be my friend anymore. Not like before." He shook his head and laughed lightly and without humor. "It's like she thinks I'm still twelve years old and will get the idea that she'll get back together with me if she gives me the time of day." Aang deflated slightly. "I guess that's part of the problem."

Wincing, Zuko commented, "You _are_ quite the optimist, Aang. And Katara is just trying to protect your feelings. You guys were young when you decided to get together. Things change, _people_ change as you grow up. Take it from me."

"Is that why you and Mai broke up?"

"Partly… maybe totally. I don't know. There just wasn't…" Zuko's cheeks pinked. "She and I couldn't figure out how to be there for each other the way we needed to be. My role as the Fire Lord was too much for her and I thought that she didn't understand where I was coming from and the magnitude of the responsibility I have. And it was so hard to just _guess_ at what she was thinking or feeling. I prioritized my duty to my people, which isn't fair to Mai."

"I heard she got married last year."

Zuko nodded. "A very happy match to a man from a noble family. Her parents were pleased, I'm sure."

"You didn't get jealous?"

"Not at all." Zuko sighed and took another gulp of his wine. "Which I guess lets you know that I grew out of my relationship with her. I'm happy she's happy and that she'll be comfortable for the rest of her life. I care that much for her as a friend."

"If I saw Katara with someone new…" Aang grimaced. "I want her to be happy but— ah screw it. This is why all the Air Nomads preached letting go of earthly attachments."

"You're not _just_ an Air Nomad, Aang. You're all of the nations," Zuko reminded him. "And you're still young."

"Are you saying that I still have a chance with Katara? Has she mentioned anything?" Aang asked eagerly.

Zuko put a hand on his shoulder to took Aang in the eye. "I'm saying you're still young," he said slowly and purposefully. "And there are a lot of people you haven't met yet. I'm sorry, but Katara hasn't mentioned the idea of getting back together with you." Zuko narrowed his eyes at him. "Katara's human, Aang. Don't put her on a pedestal and get too attached to the idea of her. You'll lose sight of the forest for the trees."

"That sounds like an Iroh saying."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "It _means_ , the first thing you laid eyes on after one hundred years was a cute girl who was nice to you. And you guys forged a fast relationship in wartime. It's… it's like an intense flame. It burns bright but it also burns out fast without constantly feeding it properly. It's not sustainable. You can't expect her to fit into your plans the way you want. She's her own person and has her own plans and deserves to see them through, even if they're separate from yours. Katara also isn't perfect and it's hard to share a life with the Avatar. It's a big commitment. She was thinking about your friendship and maintaining that instead of potentially having you two resent each other in a relationship that she didn't think was working."

Aang reached out and took Zuko's goblet of wine from him. "I hate when you make sense," he grumbled. "Sometimes, I really hate being the Avatar."

* * *

"Well that was awkward," Toph quipped.

Katara glared at her and sipped at her own cup of wine before sighing into it. "Aang certainly isn't making it easy when he looks at me like a kicked polar dog puppy. Am I a horrible person, Toph? Maybe I was too quick to end it."

"I don't need seismic sense to know that you're lying to yourself right now, Katara. Aang will be fine. Heartbreak is a part of life. If he wants to be a normal person so badly, he's got to experience everything a normal person does. And that means getting dumped by your girlfriend, too."

"I didn't _dump_ him," Katara insisted.

"Either way, the kid's got to learn how to handle being sad once in a while and picking himself back up. Besides, it sounds like Sparky's doing a good job with him."

Katara looked at Toph out of the corner of her eye. "He is?"

"Pretty sound advice."

"You and Zuko with your weird superhuman hearing," Katara muttered. "What is he saying?" she inquired casually.

Toph grinned. "Still so nosy."

"Toph!"

"Well first of all, Zuko's hearing, while better than yours, still isn't nearly as good as mine is. But he's telling Aang that it's smarter to move on and live his own life." Toph crossed her arms. "He's not wrong. Aang and you have been attached at the hip since you freed him years ago."

Katara ducked her head and let her shoulders sag. "I still feel horrible."

"Don't. I've been saying it for years. Aang's gotta learn to make some tough decisions and not get his way all of the time. He needs to make the choice for himself to move on." She punched Katara lightly on the arm. "You're doing the right thing for the both of you. It wouldn't be fair to either of you if you stay with him out of guilt. And it was a big move for you to be honest with him instead of protecting his feelings to begin with. Your feelings matter, too."

Absentmindedly rubbing her arm, Katara said softly, "Thanks, Toph."

"Anytime, Sugar Queen. Just be sure to be subtle when you start dating someone new. Otherwise, Aang will really resemble a kicked polar puppy."

Katara snorted. "Not likely to happen anytime soon. Besides, Aang's the one with all of the fangirls. I'm sure he'll move on before I do."

"Says the girl who's had a boy in every nation."

"That's not true!"

"Jet, Haru, Aang—"

"Haru and I never had a thing!"

"—Zuko."

"We— _what_? Now, you've lost it."

"I may be blind, but I can still _see_ , Katara. So did the Ember Island Players."

Katara groaned at the mention of the horrible troupe of actors.

"And when Zuko came to join us at the Western Air Temple after the day of Black Sun, I knew something was different about him. You were more angry at him than anyone else at camp." Toph leisurely took a sip of her wine. "Seemed personal."

Katara thought back to the betrayal she felt when Zuko sided with his sister so long ago in this very city. "That's between Zuko and me," she grit out.

"I _know_. Which is my point. And I'm not asking," Toph shrugged. "But I'm not the one whose heartbeat races when she sees him."

A blush came over Katara but before she could retort, King Kuei commanded everyone's attention for a toast. All of the guests pressed in towards the throne from which he spoke, and Katara lost the petite Earthbender in the shuffle, though she had a sneaking suspicion that Toph had intended for that to happen.

"Welcome, everyone, to Ba Sing Se. The Earth Kingdom welcomes all of you to share in celebration of yet another year of peace and love between the nations. And I'm delighted to have you all enjoy yourselves in my home. This birthday is a special one, indeed…"

"How long do you think he'll talk before bringing out the bear?" a husky voice whispered in Katara's ear.

Katara suppressed the urge to jump but immediately relaxed in recognition. Zuko's warm breath tickled her ear and she felt her cheeks pink yet again from the sensation. She could sense how close he was to her and could practically feel the heat radiating from him. She was also able to catch hints of his scent and found herself curious. It didn't smell fabricated like a cologne and Zuko definitely didn't wasn't the type to be showy and wear cologne in the first place. It seemed to be a mixture of the soap he used along with his own natural scent. It was clean but warm, similar to the sandalwood oils she sometimes smelled when browsing in the markets, but not as manufactured. It was all Zuko.

"Katara, are you okay?"

Katara blinked, turned around, and looked up into his eyes, the golden pools filled with concern. She hadn't realized that she was leaning against him and quickly stepped back but he had a firm grip on her back to support her. It also meant she couldn't get too far. She didn't think it was possible, but her cheeks felt even hotter.

"I'm fine!" she squeaked out. "Sorry, I guess I must have had too much wine."

"You're sure?" he asked, his expression evident that he was not quite buying her explanation.

Nodding because she didn't trust herself to speak, Katara tried to offer an assuring smile. Zuko looked as though he still didn't believe her, but he dropped the subject as well as his arm. Katara quickly mourned the loss of the warmth against her back but welcomed the chance to take a half step back and take a deep breath.

"If you're not feeling well, we can leave."

"No, really, it's okay. I'd hate to make you leave early."

Zuko smiled a little. "I've never really been a fan of big parties like this. I just go to show face. You know, assure everyone that the Fire Nation isn't going to renege and start another war. To be honest, you'd be doing me a favor."

Katara knew that Zuko was much more introverted than most people would expect, not as taciturn as his reputation would suggest, and she found herself agreeing to his suggestion. "Alright, but only because _you_ want to go home early."

With an indulgent smile, Zuko nodded. "Of course."

"To be honest, this really isn't my scene, either. But I think this is the most fun we'll have while we're here in Ba Sing Se, unfortunately."

"Don't count on that."

Katara raised an eyebrow at him. He held up a finger to his lips and then gestured for her to follow after him. They quickly snaked through the crowd and Katara held a hand to her mouth to stifle her laughter as Zuko grabbed two bottles of wine from the plentiful spread on one of the many tables in the large room.

"Zuko!" she hissed in light censure, though her lips twitched as she fought her smile.

Zuko offered a grin. "Come on, they won't notice it. And besides, this will make sure we'll still be able to have plenty of fun at the house." He caught himself and stammered, "I… I mean—"

Katara pushed at him, urging him to move while looking over her shoulder to make sure no one noticed them. But the crowd's attention was on King Kuei. "Oh I know what you mean. Hurry, before someone notices us!"

She giggled as she held her dress robes up and ran through the vast palace to make her way outdoors to the outer court, though she could feel Zuko's presence close behind her, even if she couldn't hear his footprints. She was unsurprised that he was so light and dexterous on his feet. As they approached their carriages, Katara bent over in laughter, needing to wipe tears from the corner of her eye, ignoring the way her eye makeup probably smeared as she did so. Zuko also found himself bent over, not winded by any means, but rather to join in her revelry.

"Oh I hope Toph and Aang don't feel bad that we ditched them," she sighed, though she was still fighting her giggles.

"I'm sure they'll be fine. Toph will keep Aang company as well as remind him that he has an early morning if he wants to make it back to the Eastern Air Temple before end of day tomorrow." He nodded at the carriages. "You rode here on your own or with Toph?" he asked.

"Toph and I traveled separately."

Zuko nodded. That meant the Earthbender would still have a carriage to take her back to all the way back to Yu Dao to her school and that she wouldn't be looking for Katara at the end of the night. Though, if he were to place a bet, he had a feeling Toph already knew that he and Katara had left. "You up to a race?"

Katara let the laughter bubble up again. "You want to _race_ our carriages home?"

"Sounds like you're scared to lose," he teased.

"Zuko, you should know much better than to challenge me."

He grinned, for once feeling like the young man he was. "Do I?" he retorted. He blew past her to mount the bench at the front of his carriage, the ostrich-horse already shifting its weight impatiently as he took the reins. "Last one home has to chug two cups," he called back.

Katara pulled her robes up even higher to rush to her carriage, laughing giddily the whole way.


	3. Chapter 3

_Last Time…_

_"You up to a race?"_

_Katara let the laughter bubble up again. "You want to_ race _our carriages home?"_

_"Sounds like you're scared to lose," he teased._

_"Zuko, you should know much better than to challenge me."_

_He grinned, for once feeling like the young man he was. "Do I?" he retorted. He blew past her to mount the bench at the front of his carriage, the ostrich-horse already shifting its weight impatiently as he took the reins. "Last one home has to chug two cups," he called back._

_Katara pulled her robes up even higher to rush to her carriage, laughing giddily the whole way._

* * *

"No way!" Katara nearly fell over and gripped her stomach from how hard she was laughing. "That's not possible, you _have_ to have rigged that!"

Zuko laughed and held up his hands in innocence before laying the cards face up on the table. "Fire Lord's honor," he said with fake solemnity, earning another raucous bout of laughter from Katara. He smiled widely and gestured at her cup. "I won fair and square. Drink up."

Katara good-naturedly took another healthy sip of her fire whiskey. Whether from the alcohol or the laughter or the fire that Zuko had lit in the fireplace, she was feeling warm all over. She put down her cup and met Zuko's eyes, her blue eyes lively and bright. After their race home, which she suspected Zuko of letting her win, they had found a deck of playing cards in the living area and decided to make good use of it, along with the wine they had taken from the palace.

After finishing both bottles, Zuko had rummaged through the kitchen and found an unopened cask of fire whiskey in one of the cupboards. Soon enough, they were both rosy-cheeked and Katara may have thought the room was spinning once or twice, though she was having too much fun to worry about it. They'd also allowed themselves to relax in the comfort of their temporary home. Katara washed the makeup from her face and removed many of the outer layers of her fancy dress robes, leaving her in her inner tunic over a pair of leggings that went down to her calves. Zuko had removed his ceremonial armor as well as the heavy outer robes, leaving him in a simple shirt and pants. It reminded her of late nights around the campfire when they were younger.

"I haven't had this much fun in a long time," she admitted, fighting to get out her words through her fit of giggles.

Zuko shared in her easygoing smile and nodded. "Me, neither. Maybe not since when we were all together on Ember Island years ago. Just being kids on the beach."

"Oh was that before or after you surprise-attacked us for relaxing before defeating your father?" she recalled teasingly. Her lips curved upwards as she saw Zuko sheepishly rub the back of his neck as he remembered the incident in the days leading up to Sozin's comet. "Is it crazy to think that life was simpler than? Even in the midst of a war?"

"No, I feel that way, too. 'Defeat the Fire Lord' was really the only thing I had in mind. I wish ruling a nation was as easy," Zuko admitted.

Katara's smile fell as she frowned and reached across the table to place her hand over his. "Zuko, I know I've told you this before, but we all mean it when we say that you can come to any of us for help. We're your friends."

"I shouldn't have to. It's my duty."

"You and your damn honor," Katara sighed. "Don't let your pride be your downfall."

"Like you're one to talk."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Katara, I captured you once because you were angry Aang mastered Waterbending forms before you, so you ran off with a stolen pirate scroll to train in secret and one-up him."

Katara groaned and held her face in her hands in embarrassment as she envisioned the smug look on the young prince's face as he tied her to a tree. "Okay, you may have a point there."

Zuko shrugged. "You were dedicated to mastering your talent. I respect it."

"And exploited it for your own use," she reminded him.

He shrugged again, though he had a slightly more shameful expression. "All's fair in love and war. And I'll apologize again."

"Zuko, I'm only teasing." She brought a hand to her neck where she still wore her mother's necklace. "But still, bribing me with my mother's necklace so I help you capture the Avatar… How _monstrous_ of you!" she gasped dramatically.

Zuko growled playfully before throwing one of the smaller cushions at Katara. She batted it away easily, giggling. "Did I hurt the poor Fire Lord's feelings?"

"If you call me the Loser Lord, you might," Zuko drawled with a roll of his eyes. But then he smiled at her and Katara couldn't help but match his expression. The rosiness in his cheeks shone through more against his pale skin and his eyes were heavily lidded.

"Zuko, are you drunk?" she taunted.

With a scoff, he brushed off her accusation. "As if. You think some wine could get me drunk?"

Katara tapped her finger against her mouth as if she were inspecting him. "You also partook in some fire whiskey, oh strong one," she pointed out. "I think you're positively _wasted_."

Raising an eyebrow at her, Zuko watched her warily. Dryly, he retorted, "Right. Me. Wasted."

"Oh yes, Spirits forbid that the Fire Lord have any _fun_ in his life." She rolled her eyes at him, shrieking as she dodged another throw pillow that he tossed in her direction.

"Katara, you're the one who's drank something stronger than ceremonial wine for the first time in her life," Zuko deadpanned, smirking at her.

"Don't deflect, Zuko," she huffed.

She stood and leaned over the table to look at him more closely and Zuko's eyes widened as he rushed to back away. Katara leaned too far forward over the table and being that she _was_ drunk, she lost her balance and nearly fell onto the table. She held her hands out and closed her eyes to brace for impact, but instead she fell into something solid, but much more forgiving than the table. She blinked her eyes open and saw Zuko had leapt to his feet to catch her before she could hit the stone surface, gripping her upper arms and holding her against him, her own palms pressed against his firm chest. His golden eyes bore into hers, intense but unreadable, and his jaw shifted as if he wanted to say something.

"Zuko?" she squeaked out.

Effortlessly, Zuko shifted his hold so that he lifted her up with one arm under her knees and the other cradling her head before he righted her onto her feet on his side of the table. One of his hands was still pressed against the nape of her neck. She felt his fingers twitch against the sensitive skin there.

"Told you I wasn't drunk," he told her. His voice was deeper, more husky than usual, and Katara decided that she wanted to hear more of it.

"I'm still not convinced," she breathed. His hand quickly pressed against her neck again before the pressure disappeared. "Zuko?"

With a deep breath, Zuko pulled his hand back and stepped away. Katara hadn't even noticed that she had fisted her hands into his shirt until he stepped back and out of her grasp, the fabric still twisted from her fingers. She flexed her hands once before forcing them at her sides. He gave her a shy smile and hinted, "It's getting late."

Katara nodded slowly, still in a daze. "You're right… I'll clean up."

"Hey, don't worry about that. We can clean up in the morning. I think you should head to bed." He offered a slightly apologetic look. "You're going to have a hell of a hangover in the morning, I'm afraid."

Katara's eyes lifted to his and Zuko felt himself tense. The way she looked at him, her lashes fluttering over her darkened gaze, his hands itched to touch her soft skin again. "I'm sure the staff will take care of it before we wake up anyway. They'll be shocked. They haven't had anything to clean the last two weeks. You're the perfect houseguest."

"You're right," Katara repeated. She found that her brain wasn't able to offer much else. "Um...Good night, Zuko." Her voice rose in pitch at the end, as if she were asking him a question.

"Good night, Katara."

With a final glance at him, Katara hesitated before turning out of the living room and into the hallway that led to her bedroom.

He didn't realize he was holding his breath until he heard her bedroom door softly close. He exhaled and scrubbed a hand over his face. "Agni, what the hell was that? Get it together, Zuko."

Leaning against her bedroom door, Katara sighed and gently let her head knock against the door as she closed her eyes and groaned to herself, "What in the world did you think was going to happen, Katara?"

She threw herself onto her bed and buried her face in her pillows to ignore her creeping sense of humiliation.

* * *

Iroh gave a hearty laugh, his weathered eyes crinkling in delight as he listened to his nephew. "My dear boy, it clearly sounds like you have a harmless crush on Master Katara." His boisterous laughter blended into the clamor of the busy tea shop, which was in the middle of the evening rush.

"I don't have a crush on her!" Zuko snapped.

Leaning in conspiratorially, Iroh told him, "Fire Lord Zuko, I may be an old man, but I am still a _man_. And a man who has felt the way you have many times in his youth. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"You're right. Because I don't have a crush on her," Zuko hissed through grit teeth. "That's ridiculous. I've known Katara since she was a girl and—"

"And now she's a woman. You both are very good friends. I don't see what's so ridiculous." Iroh leaned back and sipped from his teacup. "Master Katara has always been very beautiful. There's nothing wrong with admitting that you're attracted to her. In fact, I would worry more if you _didn't_ find her attractive."

"There's more to her than that," Zuko insisted, shaking his head adamantly.

Iroh raised an eyebrow and smothered a knowing smile.

"Katara is kind and brave and strong and everything about her is _good_ and I am… _not_." Zuko twisted his face in frustration before continuing, "Uncle, you don't understand. I can't have a crush on Katara. That would be impossible."

The older man sat back in his seat, studying his nephew carefully. "By all means, explain why."

Zuko stammered, "She's _Katara_! She's… she's Aang's… well she was Aang's girlfriend."

"And now she's not."

"It's not that simple."

"Zuko, you've always had a knack for complicating the simplest of things," Iroh said sagely.

Zuko crossed his arms and glared at his uncle. "Even if I did have a crush on her, it's over."

Iroh smiled again. "It is? Please be sure to announce how you've accomplished that so quickly during your next address to the nation. I'm sure that you'll end much heartache throughout the entirety of the Fire Nation. Perhaps your words may reach me here in Ba Sing Se."

"Uncle, this isn't funny!"

"I daresay it is. Fire Lord Zuko, it's a harmless crush," Iroh repeated. "And there are worse women than Katara to have one on. Much worse." Iroh turned his attention to the pai sho board between them and idly flipped a tile around in his fingers. "Besides," he began thoughtfully, "who is to say that she may not return these feelings?"

"Now I know you're going senile," Zuko grumbled. "She was with the Avatar."

"And now she's not," Iroh responded offhandedly. "You're a handsome man. You're a _good_ man, no matter what you may think. You have trust and respect between you. It's not impossible that she may be attracted to you. Zuko, no one is asking you to proclaim your undying love for her. I'm merely saying that what you're feeling is normal and valid. Do not deny yourself something as wonderful and terrifying as the beginnings of a crush. It is part of the human experience and reminds you that you have a life to live."

"It's not a crush, Uncle," Zuko insisted.

"Perhaps you're allowing yourself to feel something you didn't allow yourself to feel prior to the helpful effects of alcohol," Iroh speculated, ignoring Zuko's insistence.

"I don't feel _anything_ ," Zuko hissed.

"Lucky you, I still have a headache from all of the alcohol," Katara teased as she approached the table. "You called it last night, Zuko. My hangover this morning was vicious and still hasn't fully disappeared." She had a friendly smile and bowed politely. "General Iroh."

"Master Katara! What a pleasant surprise!" Iroh rose from the pai sho table and made his way over to her with wide arms. He brushed off her bow and gripped her shoulders as he smiled down at her. "What brings you here?"

"You know as well as I do that a visit to Ba Sing Se isn't complete without a visit to the Jasmine Dragon and the Dragon of the West. I've been meaning to drop by, but the last two weeks have been surprisingly busy. But with the Earth King's birthday's celebrations last night, many of the outer delegates are heading home as they no longer have summit business so I should have more time to drop by."

"The honor of your presence is mine to have, Master Katara."

Katara blushed. "You're too kind, General Iroh. This is such a nice reprieve from all of the meetings I've been stuck in today. You're definitely a sight for sore eyes."

"You flatter this old man far too much, Master Katara."

"How many times do I have to tell you that it's just Katara?"

Iroh gestured for her to take a seat at the pai sho table and chuckled as he sat back down. "It's hard for this ancient mind to remember things nowadays."

Katara playfully narrowed her eyes at him. "I don't believe that for a second." She looked between him and Zuko. "I hope I wasn't interrupting anything? I know that you two probably don't get to see each other often and I don't want to intrude on your time together. I can come back and visit another day. I just had a late luncheon with some Earth Kingdom governors and was close enough that I thought I'd visit."

With a jovial smile, Iroh assured her, "You could never be a bother or an interruption. Right, Fire Lord Zuko?"

Zuko nodded and Katara relaxed.

"Just let me know if I'm overstepping." She looked at Zuko, "Don't want to be hover-y, mother-y Katara. I know that always drove everyone crazy."

Zuko frowned. "Toph and Aang just didn't know how to appreciate a good thing when they were younger. Aang, eventually, but you know how Toph is with any kind of authority."

"You don't have to make excuses for them, Zuko. I know how I was when I was younger." She inclined her head and blushed. "How I can _still_ be from time to time… I'm sorry, you two probably don't want to hear me clamoring about this."

"Master Katara, your caring nature could never be a bother."

Zuko fought the urge to roll his eyes so that Katara wouldn't think he was rolling his eyes at her— he knew his uncle was laying it on thick.

"And it is refreshing to hear your honest thoughts. Insecurities are human nature and nothing to apologize for," Iroh said comfortingly. "Truthfully, that kind of worry doesn't go away, even at my age."

"When I first joined you, I confided in Sokka and specifically asked him for help so that I could get you to like me," Zuko admitted in a rush.

Katara widened her eyes. "What?"

Zuko could feel his cheeks flush but he cleared his throat and stammered, "Well, you hated me! And what you think of me mattered to me— I mean, it still does, but I just wanted to— you were so angry at me and I deserved it after what happened. I just…"

"This is before we went to look for Yon Rha?" Katara asked quietly. "This is how you knew?"

Nervously rubbing the back of his neck, Zuko nodded. "I told Sokka that I cared about what you thought of me and that I wanted to understand your anger. It seemed so personal. You had mentioned your mother before in the catacombs and then after I joined you guys so I knew that was how I could fix it. I mean, as much as I could."

Zuko lowered his eyes and his voice was soft as he continued, "It was really important to me that out of the whole group, I had _your_ forgiveness and trust." He made a face and felt as if he wanted to crawl under the table.

"Sokka never told me," she said eventually.

"Well he's always been good about keeping a secret."

"Oh really?" Katara raised an eyebrow. "What other secrets are you hiding, Zuko?"

"Defeats the purpose if I tell you, doesn't it?" Zuko murmured.

Katara rolled her eyes. "Bad sport," she commented, earning more of Iroh's laughter.

Iroh rose. "I believe I have a special tea in the back that's perfect to help with a hangover. Let me get started on brewing it for you."

"Please, don't go through the trouble!" Katara insisted.

"Nonsense, I need an excuse to use this tea. It's a new blend I've been working on. And if I have you endorse its effects, I'm sure I could strike up a deal with some of the nearby bars and social clubs," he wiggled his bushy eyebrows at Katara.

"Very lucrative of you," she grinned.

As Iroh stepped away, Zuko considered Katara more carefully. "You should eat if you're still feeling pretty terrible. You were out cold when I left this morning. I'm sure you haven't had time to eat with all of the different meetings today."

"Zuko, I just said I had a late luncheon—" Katara blinked. "Wait, you checked in on me?"

Zuko's blush returned with increased intensity and he mumbled, "It _was_ partially my fault you got that drunk to begin with."

Katara smirked. "Spirits forbid that I add onto your list of things to feel guilty over. You didn't force me to drink, Zuko." She waved him off. "Raging headache aside, I'm perfectly fine. I could honestly probably heal the hangover away if it didn't seem too superfluous."

"Good." Zuko dropped his gaze.

"And we had fun. Or at least I did." Katara watched him curiously. She saw that he was blushing intensely but was mostly confused by his closed off demeanor. "What's going on, Zuko?" she demanded before wincing at herself. "I'm doing it again, aren't I? Being pushy?"

Noting how her own cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink with her blush, Zuko assured her, "Don't apologize for caring, Katara. It's who you are. To be honest, I've always been a little jealous at how free you are with your emotions. The way you let others know that you care, even if they don't want it… it's important. People need to know that someone out there does. I certainly did."

Katara blinked again, taken aback by his quiet words. "Zuko…"

"I also may have been a little jealous of those who got to be on the receiving end of your kindness when I first joined you all. Not that I deserved it then."

Wincing again, Katara remembered how she had threatened Zuko when he first joined them at the Western Air Temple. The way the rare look of peace on his face fell. And she was the one to ruin it.

She sighed and spoke slowly and intentionally. "Zuko, we were so young. And we both have tempers. And to be fair, you're giving me far too much credit. I'm too good at holding onto grudges. Sokka's always pointed that out. So have Aang and Toph. I didn't act fairly to you when you came to us feeling vulnerable and uncertain. If you didn't have self-control the way you do… my words could've changed everything. Honestly, I've always admired that about _you_. "

"Me? Have self-control? You don't know me at all," he joked lightly.

"You know what I mean!" she laughed, nudging him lightly. She chewed on her bottom lip before continuing, "I hope that you still don't feel that way about belonging with us."

Zuko shook his head and smiled at her reassuringly. "No, I don't. I haven't for a long time."

She placed her hand on top of his and squeezed it briefly as she gave him a small smile. "I've forgiven _you_ … but I never apologized for _my_ behavior."

Zuko smirked. "You still haven't," he reminded her teasingly.

Katara's smile grew. "Zuko, I—"

"Here we go! Just a few sips of this blend and you'll feel like you can scale Ba Sing Se's walls." Iroh poured Katara a cup of tea and his gaze lingered on the way she held Zuko's hand for a beat too long. "Am _I_ interrupting?"

Katara jumped and snatched her hand away. "Not at all!"

Leaning in, Zuko whispered, "You still owe me."

She turned her attention to her teacup with far too much interest. "What's in this hangover cure?"

Iroh eyed her knowingly before answering, "It's a special blend of green tea mixed with ginger to soothe any nausea or an upset stomach while boosting your energy. I've also included some peppermint for the headache, chamomile blossom, ginseng, and a special root to help detoxify the body."

Katara eagerly drank and her eyes widened immediately as soon as the liquid touched her tongue. She put her cup down, forced herself to swallow, and fought a grimace. "That's… bracing."

Iroh frowned. "I may have overdone the concentration of that root," he mused, stroking his beard.

Zuko watched worriedly as Katara took several more sips of the tea, noting how her face twisted with each gulp. "Uncle… what kind of root?"

"A passing merchant mentioned that this special root could detoxify and energize even the most weary of wanderers and explorers and was a favorite among frequent travelers for its effects. He offered me a large satchel at a very cheap price."

"Uncle, what kind of root?" Zuko asked again through grit teeth.

"He came from somewhere near the Si Wong Desert… now that I think of it, it may not be a root…"

"Uncle!"

"Perhaps a plant extract?"

Zuko groaned. "Did you just dose Katara with cactus juice? No wonder she'd be able to scale the city's walls, she'd be hallucinating a fluffy mattress underneath to catch her fall!"

Katara widened her eyes and looked down at her cup. "Oh no," she moaned, slapping her palm to her forehead. "This is ridiculous."

Iroh frowned and scratched his head. "I think I would know if it was juice. He handed me a powdered substance."

Katara groaned again. "Which means it's even more concentrated since the water content was pulled out. That's what healers do to increase the dosage of certain extracts. Could I have some water?"

"I'll take you home right away," Zuko declared.

Katara shook her head. "No, it's okay."

"Katara, I insist."

"Zuko, it's fine."

"No, it's not! My uncle poisoned you!"

Katara rolled her eyes. "It's not quite that dire, Zuko. I may just see hallucinations and confess my darkest secrets for the next few hours, but I wasn't _poisoned_."

" _Katara_ ," Zuko hissed, urgency in his tone. He watched as she downed the glass of water his uncle brought her. "Do you really think you can just dilute it with water after you've already ingested it?"

"Fire Lord Zuko, Master Katara is one of the best healers in the world. She knows best so we should trust her judgment."

"Her judgment is currently compromised because you _drugged_ her. This is just like that time you ingested poisonous White Jade because you thought it was White Dragon. Agni, please don't tell me you've served that to anyone else."

Iroh pursed his lips. "No, it was a new blend that I was working on. I see that I'll have to go back to the drawing board."

Sighing, Katara, held her fingers to her temples and closed her eyes tightly. "Zuko, please. It's not that serious."

"You're joking," he deadpanned.

"What's done is done and yelling at your uncle won't get us anywhere." She opened her eyes at looked pointedly at Iroh. "But Iroh, please consider this the end of your trials with this special blend. No going back to the drawing board." She shut her eyes again and took a deep breath.

"What's going on?" a new voice asked.

Katara recognized the voice and groaned for the third time in as many minutes.

"Katara, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Aang. Just accidentally had a concentrated dose of cactus juice."

Aang reared back in confusion. "How'd you get cactus juice all the way over here?"

Zuko snorted, "Ask my uncle. What are you doing here? I thought you were leaving this morning to get back to the Eastern Air Temple after King Kuei's birthday celebration?"

"I was convinced to stay a little longer. I'm heading back now, but I wanted to say goodbye since you two disappeared last night. I figured you'd be here." Aang's eyebrows furrowed at Zuko's tone.

"Aang, it's nothing." Katara told him, hearing the hesitation in his voice. "You should go back to the Air Acolytes."

Bristling, Aang demanded, "Why are you both so eager to get rid of me?"

"I'm not eager to get rid of you! You just get overprotective and I don't want to keep you. I'm fine and you should get back to the Eastern Air Temple and your duties."

At the same time, Zuko snapped, "My irritation has nothing to do with you, Aang, but rather because my uncle effectively drugged Katara!"

Zuko's words fell on deaf ears as Aang rounded on Katara.

"Katara, don't you get it? You never held me back. And why does everyone prioritize my duties over what I want and choose to do? When will what _I_ want for my own life matter?"

"Aang—"

"Don't try to tell me that I'm the Avatar and it's different for me. I _know_. I get it! If you don't want to be with me, that's fine, but don't try and put the blame on _me_ and my title that I didn't even want," he hissed.

Zuko stood abruptly. "Aang." His deep voice held a tone of finality and Aang shrunk back. Katara stared at the Airbender with wide eyes, her mouth agape. They hadn't heard him have an outburst like that since the time Appa had been stolen or when he was upset with the idea of taking Ozai's life. Aang looked between Zuko and Katara with sorrow in his grey eyes.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly.

"I'm sorry, too, Aang," Katara replied. "I didn't mean to imply anything. I just don't want you to worry about me unnecessarily… you _should_ really worry about your tattoo melting. It's running off!"

As she spoke, Zuko saw how her blue eyes darkened, her pupils dilating, and her cheeks turned pink, as if she was drunk again. Zuko raised an eyebrow at her words and quickly made sure to scoop her up.

"Zuko? Since when can you Airbend?" Katara gasped as she was lifted into his arms. Her unfocused eyes roved over him in a mixture of concern and awe. "Are _you_ an Avatar, too?"

"Aang, I'm sorry, but I think I should take her home to sleep this off." Zuko nodded at Katara, who was now poking at him.

"But if you're made of _air_ … how are you so solid?" She smoothed a palm over his chest. "It's so firm," she marveled.

Zuko could feel his cheeks heat up and he avoided looking the Airbender in the eye. "Have a safe trip home, Aang."

Aang nodded and stepped aside. "I didn't mean…" He gestured at Katara but Zuko shook his head.

"She probably won't even remember anyway," Zuko replied smoothly. Aang looked as though he didn't believe him, but the young Airbender allowed the white lie. Zuko sighed and added, "But I do think the two of you should definitely talk or you can maybe send her a letter?"

"Yeah, that could work," Aang muttered. "I'll see you around?"

Zuko tried to offer a smile, but was distracted by how Katara was squirming in his hold. "It's been a while since you've visited the Fire Nation. I might be convinced to take a break if you did."

Aang's face visibly brightened and he nodded enthusiastically. "Take care of her, will you?"

"Fire Lord's honor." With that, Zuko bid him and his uncle goodbye and hurried out of the Jasmine Dragon and into his carriage waiting outside.

Aang turned to Iroh and asked wryly, "Cactus juice?"

Iroh smiled nervously while rubbing the back of his neck with a shrug. "The merchant gave me a very good deal for it!"


	4. Chapter 4

_Last Time…_

_"Aang, I'm sorry, but I think I should take her home to sleep this off." Zuko nodded at Katara, who was now poking at him._

_"But if you're made of air… how are you so solid?" She smoothed a palm over his chest. "It's so firm," she marveled._

_Zuko could feel his cheeks heat up and he avoided looking the Airbender in the eye. "Have a safe trip home, Aang."_

_Aang nodded and stepped aside. "I didn't mean…" He gestured at Katara but Zuko shook his head._

_"She probably won't even remember anyway," Zuko replied smoothly. Aang looked as though he didn't believe him, but the young Airbender allowed the white lie. Zuko sighed and added, "But I do think the two of you should definitely talk or you can maybe send her a letter?"_

_"Yeah, that could work," Aang muttered. "I'll see you around?"_

_Zuko tried to offer a smile, but was distracted by how Katara was squirming in his hold. "It's been a while since you've visited the Fire Nation. I might be convinced to take a break if you did."_

_Aang's face visibly brightened and he nodded enthusiastically. "Take care of her, will you?"_

_"Fire Lord's honor." With that, Zuko bid him and his uncle goodbye and hurried out of the Jasmine Dragon and into his carriage waiting outside._

_Aang turned to Iroh and asked wryly, "Cactus juice?"_

_Iroh smiled nervously while rubbing the back of his neck with a shrug. "The merchant gave me a very good deal for it!"_

* * *

As soon as they pulled up to their shared lodgings, Zuko rushed up the stairs and into the dark home. Thankfully, Katara had stopped her hands from roaming all over him and was disjointedly humming what sounded like Water Tribe drinking songs as she had been for the majority of their ride back from the Middle Ring, occasionally raising her voice to distractedly mumble what he assumed Sokka would claim were the best parts. Shifting Katara in his arms so that she was now slung over one shoulder, he was able to free one hand to light his path through the halls with a small flame. As he moved her, Katara let out a small sound that sounded similar to the sound she made when Appa would suddenly dip in flight and she wasn't expecting it. Zuko smiled to himself.

"You alright?" he asked. He could feel the Waterbender continue to move and he tightened his hold on her so that she didn't fall. "This would be a lot easier if you just quit squirming around," he chastised lightly.

"We're flying," she gasped. "The world is upside down, Zuko," she said, giggling.

Zuko sighed, but the sound soon morphed into a low chuckle. He reached Katara's bedroom and laid her down gently on the bed. After lighting a lantern on her desk, he hovered over her nervously, not sure if he should tuck her in. It wasn't as if she was sick, just needed to sleep off the hallucinogen from Iroh's tea. Katara's eyes were closed and she smacked her lips together, as if she were about to fall asleep at any second. He made to move away, but then her eyes opened again and her full lips pressed together into a pout.

"You're leaving me?" she asked in a small voice.

"No, I'll be in the house in case you need me. But you should rest, Katara," he said soothingly.

Her eyes were wide and they captured the flickering orange of the lantern. The way the light danced in a sea of cerulean captivated Zuko as she asked, "Stay?"

Zuko found himself frozen to the spot and he opened and closed his mouth a few times as he tried to figure out an appropriate response.

"I'm so tired of being alone," Katara sighed, her eyes closing heavily again.

This time, it was Zuko's turn to frown. "Katara, you're not alone."

Her eyes opened sleepily and she smiled at him, "Neither are you. You always have me." She held out one of her hands and Zuko couldn't help but take it in one of his as he sat down on the edge of her bed.

It dawned on him that for all of the times he had touched Katara, he had never done something as simple as hold her hand without urgency or dire purpose. Their limbs often met in hard blows as they fought and sparred over the years and he had grabbed a wrist to pull her along or even cradled her whole body multiple times to protect her, whether from falling rocks in the Western Air Temple or as he did now to bring her home. She had placed her hand on top of his comfortingly plenty of times. But the feeling of reaching out first and feeling her smaller hand simply clasping his for no other reason except closeness was brand new. Her palm was softer than his for sure, but still lightly calloused as evidence of her hard work and life as a healer and provider. Her grip was relaxed but steady and Zuko impulsively tightened his hand over hers, surprised when she squeezed back.

Katara hummed happily. "Zu-zu… no… you don't like that name." She then frowned again and Zuko blinked as he tried to keep up with her changes in temperament from the tea. Katara shook her head from side to side quickly and her brunette waves tossed around her and spread across her pillow and her face. She released his hand to stretch her arms above her head before settling on her side. "Your crazy sister gave you that name," she muttered, looking up at him with sleepy eyes again, though the blue was tinged with sadness.

Zuko stiffened and Katara must have noticed because she took his hand again, rubbing her thumb across his skin. It baffled Zuko how easily it came to Katara to nurture and soothe. A part of him knew that he was just a damaged man yearning for someone like her to act as a balm to his wounds but the bigger part of him couldn't let Katara be dragged down by his baggage. He motioned to leave but her voice kept him in place.

"I was so glad you asked me to help fight her the day of Sozin's comet," she murmured. "I really like working together with you. It's like you know what I'm thinking before I realize it myself. I can always trust that you'll be there for me. To be honest, that's probably why Sokka always paired us up for training against the Melon Lord before Sozin's comet."

Zuko couldn't help but laugh quietly at her recollection. He was also surprisingly touched by the revelation that Sokka trusted him to take care of his sister.

"And I'll never forget how you saved my life." She sat up and lifted her other hand tentatively to press it at the center of his chest, where she knew he had a scar from where he performed the incomplete lightning redirection. "You almost died," she breathed, lifting her eyes to him.

"I would've, if it wasn't for you. But even if I had, it would be worth it. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I let her hurt you," he said earnestly.

Katara closed her eyes and shook her head. "No, you can't die. That wouldn't be right." She opened her eyes, her pupils still blown, but she stared at him with surprising intensity. She tilted her head curiously. "We can't always choose our family, but we can choose to learn from them."

"My uncle is my only family. My friends," Zuko said resolutely. "You."

"I'm your family?" she asked, an almost childlike wonder coloring her voice. Her heart swelled and Katara so desperately tried to hold onto this moment. But it felt like time was going too fast and just as quickly, the feeling faded. The fog in her brain wasn't letting her capture the memory the way she wanted to.

"We created our own family, didn't we? Aang, Sokka, Toph, Suki, even Teo and Haru and everyone else. You started it all by taking care of everyone and welcoming more along the journey, me included." He gave a small lopsided grin. "Well, eventually," he amended.

Katara smiled shyly in agreement. "Sometimes, I feel as though I'd like more," she admitted.

Zuko replied wryly, "You _would_ take in strays. More mouths to feed. More chores to hand out."

"Not just more people... _more_. I want what Sokka and Suki found. What my mom and dad had. A big family of polar seal dogs. I don't mind being busy because it means that someone always needs me and is there with me."

"Katara—"

"My mom died and Dad always left us behind to fight in the war. Now? Sokka and Suki live with each other and the unagi. Aang flies around for his fans. Toph has her students and badgermoles. And you have your palace and volcanoes and court people. Wouldn't it have just been easier if I just sucked it up and stayed with Aang?"

"That's not fair to either of you," Zuko reminded her.

"But then I wouldn't be so alone," she pouted.

"If you won't let me be alone, then I won't let you be alone, either."

"For now," she pointed out. "But I probably won't see you for years and years until Sozin's next comet. You're always so busy. By then, everyone will have families and it'll just be me and Momo's great-great-great-grandchild in the South Pole." Her brow furrowed, her eyes lowered, and she began to chew on her lower lip anxiously.

Zuko raised an eyebrow and gently tugged her lip free, gently cupping the side of her face afterwards. Katara immediately pressed her cheek into his hand and stared up at him. He sighed and looked Katara in the eye, struggling to ignore the way his stomach flipped pleasantly at the complete trust in her gaze.

"I'm always here for you. Whenever you need me, just let me know. I haven't been to the South Pole in a while. And I was telling Aang... it's been a long time since I've had visitors come to the Fire Nation."

Katara smiled wistfully. "The Fire Nation is so warm, so pretty. And the beaches are so relaxing. I love how the light sparkles on the water and the sand is so toasty and perfectly gritty when it squishes in my toes. The sun is out for so much longer than in the South Pole and it feels _so_ nice on my face." Then, her lips turned downwards and her brow furrowed again.

"There are always whispers when I go to visit the Fire Nation, though. About the color of my skin, the unruliness of my hair, the strangeness of my eyes."

His face falling, Zuko asked, "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

Katara smiled at him patiently as if speaking with a young child. "Silly, you can't control other people's thoughts. There's nothing you can do about it."

"But you shouldn't have hid it from me!"

"You're such a good Fire Lord, Zuko. Why ruin it by mentioning a few mean girls?"

"Still," he insisted.

Katara laid back down, letting her eyes close and head loll. She shushed him and yawned. "I'm sleepy."

Zuko rolled his eyes and poked her in the side with his free hand. "Yeah right."

"Stay with me?"

"I'm here, aren't I?"

Katara moved to make room for him and looked up at him expectantly. Zuko hesitated but reluctantly let go of her hand and shucked off the heavy outer layers of his robes, leaving him in a simple shirt and pants. He lay down next to her, pillowing his head on his hands as he crossed them behind his head. "Okay," he agreed. Katara smiled at him again and he felt his stomach flip.

"Zuko?"

"Hm?"

"Just… do me a favor and don't marry one of those mean noblewomen, okay?"

Zuko laughed humorlessly. "Alright. I'll appoint you to screen any future Fire Lady applicants. A brand new position just for you."

Katara snorted and settled into the bed as she got more comfortable. "If that's the case, then I'm not approving any of them."

"None?"

"None," she said firmly. "None are good enough for you, Zuko."

"I'm not so sure about that."

"Well I _am_ ," Katara sniffed. "And I've always had the better judgment between the two of us."

"Hardly," Zuko countered. "You always let your emotions get the better of you."

"Finding your future Fire Lady _is_ a matter of the heart," she pointed out, turning to look at his profile.

Zuko's jaw clenched and he kept his eyes trained on the shifting shadows on the ceiling as the lone lantern in the room flickered. He closed his eyes, sighed heavily, and shook his head. He turned to meet her gaze. She was staring at him with a stubborn set to her mouth, her cheeks still slightly flushed. It was reminiscent of the way she would look at him years ago as they'd meet, duel after duel, during their year traveling the world before Sozin's comet.

"It's not that simple, Katara. Not for me."

"It is," she said simply. "You're overthinking it, as usual. You always overthink the most simple things."

Zuko pressed his lips together, a strange weight settling in his stomach as Katara unknowingly echoed his uncle's words from earlier that day. "I'm the Fire Lord," he said lamely.

"You're a _person_ first. And you deserve to find a wife that loves you for you and that's that. The court be damned." Katara closed her eyes, looking quite pleased with herself.

Zuko stared at her in awe.

"Or a husband. Whatever strokes your fire. I shouldn't assume."

Zuko choked out a weak laugh at her cheek before grinning. "You sure you won't scare off any potential suitors?" Zuko joked.

"If they can't get past me, then they're not deserving of you."

"You think too highly of me."

Katara opened her eyes just to roll them at him. "Zuko, we've already gone over this. My sense of judgment is far better than yours." She grinned in the dim light and Zuko smiled back bashfully. "Leave it to me. You'll be married by next spring. Actually, that's probably not when most royal weddings take place, huh? Fine, then next summer."

Zuko made a face and arched an eyebrow at her. "Uncle's tea is making you far too bold."

"Tea, sch-mea," she scoffed.

"But if you're busy finding me a Fire Lady—"

"Or co-Fire Lord!"

"—how will you have time to find someone for you?"

"That ship sailed a long time ago. Besides, any man that was even remotely interested in me is probably intimidated because of my previous relationship with Aang. I can see how they stare and whisper around me. It's as if I'm a cursed widow."

Zuko stiffened as her words rang true. He wasn't blind to how some of the male delegates regarded Katara with trepidation. He rolled over completely to face her. "Katara, if there's anyone in this world who deserves to be loved and taken care of, it's _you_. You're too kind and generous to not have that kind of love reciprocated. And any idiot who can't see that doesn't deserve your time."

Katara smiled widely and lifted a hand to his face as she teased, "Who knew the grumpy Fire Lord had a sweet side?"

Then, she belatedly realized what she had done and gasped lightly. Her hand pressed against the scarred skin of his face. Zuko stared at her with his mouth agape, his good eye wide. While her thumb caressed the smooth skin of his jaw, grazing the corner of his mouth, her fingertips rested against the skin of his scar. The scar was warm, slightly raised above the rest of his skin. Since she was so close, she noticed how glossy the skin was. Without realizing, she was sliding her fingers over the sensitive skin with a feather light touch. Zuko didn't dare move, keeping his eyes trained on Katara's face. Her gaze was still slightly unfocused, as it had been since the tea's effects first took hold, but she watched her hand's movement with a careful sense of discovery.

She lifted her hand higher so that she could trace the edge of the scar to where it disappeared into his dark hairline, following through to the shell of his ear. Then, she completed her circle to cradle his cheek again, this time pressing her palm to his face.

"I'm sorry… I don't know why I did that…" she apologized, sounding the most like herself since she had entered the Jasmine Dragon earlier that night.

"It's okay," he breathed. He lifted his own hand and laid it on top of hers, trapping it in place. "It's probably the tea," he reminded her.

"I shouldn't have… this is inappropriate of me to just touch your face like that."

Zuko huffed lightly. "In case you haven't noticed, we've been touching other's face all night. It's fine with me. Do you mind?"

Katara shook her head, venturing a shy smile that widened when Zuko returned it.

"You're the only one who's touched me here," Zuko admitted, his heart beating fast. "Most people choose to ignore it."

"Sometimes, I forget that this even exists… I just see _you_ …"

Zuko smiled and Katara felt his cheek lift beneath her palm. "Sometimes, I think you're the only one who does."

Katara stared into his eyes, the golden depths warm and inviting. He was so guarded with everyone and she knew that she was very lucky to be allowed this close, physically and emotionally, to the usually private Fire Lord. She briefly looked away from his eyes to glance at his lips before darting her eyes back up.

Zuko caught her signal and as much as he wanted to fulfill her wish— _his_ wish— he knew that he couldn't. He couldn't trust her judgment at the moment. Instead, he gently pulled her hand from his face, though he kept it clasped in his. He said in a rough voice, "Sleep, Katara. I'll be here. I'll stay with you."

She replied wryly, if not a bit disappointedly, "But for how long?"

With that, Zuko watched the Waterbender close her eyes, her dark lashes fluttering and full lips parting slightly as she breathed deeply and evenly. He sighed and pulled the blanket over her. Then, he extinguished the lantern in her room before closing his own eyes, her peaceful countenance the last thing he saw before drifting off, his hand still grasping hers between them.

* * *

Waking up early the next morning, Katara groaned and motioned to sit up and grasp her head, feeling what felt like the worst hangover for the second day in a row. As she did, she registered the extra weight around her waist that prevented her from sitting up completely. She opened her bleary eyes and saw dark red. She blinked to clear her vision and groggily realized that a pale arm was wrapped around her and her suspiciously warm pillow was actually a sleeping Fire Lord, whose chest she was snuggling into. Her eyes widened and she bit her lip to avoid making a noise. She could feel his breath against the baby hairs at her forehead as he tucked her close under his chin.

As her awareness increased, she realized that her head was pillowed on his bicep and her legs tangled with his longer ones. Her heartbeat increased and she felt her face heat up. Ignoring how her heart pounded, she slowly lifted her face up to look at Zuko. He looked so much younger when asleep. The nearly permanent crease in between his brows was gone and the usual tension he held in his jaw was missing. His lips looked fuller than usual, most likely because they weren't pressed into a hard line or pulled back in a snarl when his anger got the best of him. His raven hair had fallen out from his crown, which was askew, precariously balanced on the pillow he rested on. Katara smiled to herself when she noticed the light shadow on his jaw as she had never seen Zuko with facial hair, though she was sure he may adopt it soon, after seeing how Fire Nation men tended to favor it with age.

Katara continued her observation, again focusing her attention to his scar. Last night, Zuko had slept on his side so that it was completely visible, unlike when he would purposefully sleep so that it was hidden. It had been nearly a decade since Ozai had inflicted the injury and Katara knew that the scar would not fade further and would likely remain the same for the rest of Zuko's life, the bruise-like colors a permanent reminder of the former Fire Lord's cruelty and anger. Her mind traveled back to five years earlier, when she had touched the scar for the first time beneath this very city. How very different things could've been if she had used the water from the Spirit Oasis on him.

It may have meant the loss of the Avatar. But it may have also meant that Zuko's heart would've been turned sooner after she gained his trust. Or his betrayal would have hurt her even more.

Her eyes followed the pale skin, down his neck to the notch in the shirt he wore. She could just make out the edge of the sunburst-like scar that he had received in exchange for her safety. Due to her quick healing, while a scar remained, it wasn't as angry or mottled as the one on his eye. But she still felt somewhat protective over it, as if it was _her_ scar and Zuko was just the one who was strong enough to bear it. Katara supposed that was actually the case. She didn't think that she would survive Azula's attack the way he did. The way he always did.

"How are you so strong?" she murmured under her breath.

"Hm?"

Katara nearly jumped until she reminded herself that Zuko was always a light sleeper. Zuko groaned lightly and Katara saw his eyes tighten before he blinked them open slowly. He lifted his head and looked down at her, a lazy smile on his face. Katara wondered if he was still half-asleep, the look on his face was so peaceful. He blinked again and took a deep breath, opening his eyes more certainly with his exhale.

She smiled shyly. "Good morning."

Zuko stared at her in confusion, as if he were just remembering where he was, before his eyes darted to the window in her room. The sky was still a pearly grey, indicating that dawn was yet to come.

"Not quite," he replied slowly. His voice was still thick with sleep and rougher than usual, Katara noted. It made her shiver and Zuko subconsciously pulled her in closer as he continued to scrutinize the sky outside her window. "If it was, I definitely would've been up. I'm surprised you're awake already."

He yawned unexpectedly and Katara fought to hide her light laughter at the rare sight of seeing Zuko early in the morning.

She watched his jaw shift and his expression made it seem as though he had come to a conclusion to something in his mind. Subtly, he shifted away from her to allow for more space between them. Katara immediately missed his warmth and instinctively moved towards him to chase his retreating heat. Zuko raised an eyebrow but didn't move away again.

"Especially since I'm sure your body is still recovering from the last two nights," he continued.

Katara nodded slowly. "Thirsty," was all she could say in response.

"Oh." Zuko made to move and disentangle himself from her again. "Let me go and get you—"

"Zuko, wait." Katara grabbed his shoulder to keep him from turning. "About last night," she began timidly.

Zuko tensed. "What about last night?" he hedged.

"I'm sorry if I overstepped my boundaries at all. The tea Iroh made really lowered my inhibitions and I just wanted to apologize," she said in a rush. "I really unloaded a lot on you and you probably didn't want to hear it or talk about it. And I know that I owe Aang an apology, too."

With an understanding look in his eyes, Zuko assured her. "You have nothing to apologize for. Aang knows he owes you one. You should expect a letter from him soon." His expression sobered slightly. "He's eighteen," he reminded her. "Aang needs to learn that he can't always get what he wants and that he has to be held accountable for his words as well as respect others'. I can't emphasize enough that your words from last night require no apologies."

Katara grinned and after a beat, responded flippantly, "Good, because I meant every word."

Zuko met her gaze meaningfully and ignored her attempt to lighten the mood. "I've never lied to you, Katara."

He hadn't, Katara knew. For better or worse, Zuko wore his heart on his sleeve, always gave everything he had, and spoke honestly, even if to his own detriment. "And for what it's worth," he continued, "you can talk to me like that any time. I spend most of my time talking to advisors or noblemen with hidden agendas who try to trip me up by twisting their words or mine. Honest conversation is really refreshing to have. And you know most of my secrets."

That piqued Katata's interest and Zuko could tell by the glimmer in her blue eyes. "Most?"

"You know more than anyone else," he assured her.

Katara narrowed her eyes. "I'll spar you for the rest of them," she said in a singsong voice.

He laughed and Katara relished the carefree sound. "We'll destroy the house."

"No bending, then," Katara suggested, eager that Zuko didn't immediately deny her request. A small thrill traveled down her spine at the idea of sparring Zuko. It always brought out her best bending when she fought him and she still hadn't managed to achieve the same high after sparring someone else the way she had after sparring with him.

"Drink some water and get some breakfast in you, first. Then, we'll see," he deflected. His golden eyes moved over her, as if inspecting her to make sure that she was completely free of the tea's effects.

"I'm fine," she insisted.

Zuko's eyes continued their exploration of her and he surprised the both of them by tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear tenderly. "More than fine, it would seem," he murmured.

"Zuko," she whispered, worried that her own voice would scare him away. Unsure of why that scared _her_ so much.

"Katara," he said softly. He leaned in and rest his forehead against hers, the tip of his nose lightly brushing against hers. "I…"

"Yes?"

"You're one of my best friends," he said emphatically.

"You're one of mine," Katara returned, slightly confused by the change in atmosphere.

"I respect you too much to do what you're asking of me."

Katara furrowed her brow. "What?"

Zuko sighed and pulled back to gently kiss her forehead, his lips soft and warm against her skin. Then, he pulled away completely. "I… I can't."

Katara felt as though she had been doused in ice water. She let out a breath so harshly it was as if she had the wind knocked out of her. It felt like a komodo rhino kick to her stomach. Immediately, she felt the heat rush to her face and her eyes stung and she knew that she had to hurry so that Zuko couldn't see her like this. She scrambled away and clumsily crawled past him to rush for the door, lacking her usual grace. Zuko stumbled a bit getting out of her bed but hurried after her.

"Katara, wait!"

Katara shook her head, ignoring the stream of tears that had managed to make it past her tightly shut eyes, rubbing her fist against her eyes roughly. She made it as far as the hall outside of her bedroom, grunting in shock when a wall of heat pressed along her back, strong arms wrapping around her middle. His breath rustled the hair near her ear as he caught his breath. His heart beat quickly against her shoulder blade. It was a perverse imitation of how she had woken up earlier that morning.

"Please," he asked.

"Zuko, there's nothing to discuss," she said shakily, her voice thick. "You're entitled to do what you want, you don't have to feel sorry for me. I'm just embarrassed, okay? I don't even know what came over me," she sniffled. "Spirits, what was I _thinking_?"

"Katara, _please_. Don't feel bad— I need to explain—"

She couldn't fight the sniffles as her tears began to flow freely down her face. Zuko buried his face in her hair and Katara shut her eyes tightly once more. "Zuko, please," she mirrored. "Let me have some dignity."

There was a rapping at the door that shook them out of their stupor. They both lifted their heads towards the door and Katara took the opportunity to break away from Zuko's loosened hold and rush towards the bathroom. He heard the lock engage and the sound of running water shortly thereafter and he sighed, raking his hand through his hair. His eyes lingered at the door until another knock gained his attention. He quickly made his way to the door and opened it to see one of the Earth King's assistants.

"Qing Zi?" he recalled.

The woman bowed quickly. "Fire Lord Zuko. King Kuei is requesting your and Master Katara's presence at the palace immediately. There is an urgent matter in one of the former Fire Nation colonies and the king needs your help."


	5. Chapter 5

_Last Time…_

_"Katara, wait!"_

_"Zuko, there's nothing to discuss," she said shakily, her voice thick. "You're entitled to do what you want, you don't have to feel sorry for me. I'm just embarrassed, okay? I don't even know what came over me," she sniffled. "Spirits, what was I_ thinking _?"_

 _"Katara,_ please _. Don't feel bad— I need to explain—"_

_She couldn't fight the sniffles as her tears began to flow freely down her face. Zuko buried his face in her hair and Katara shut her eyes tightly once more. "Zuko, please," she mirrored. "Let me have some dignity."_

_There was a rapping at the door that shook them out of their stupor. They both lifted their heads towards the door and Katara took the opportunity to break away from Zuko's loosened hold and rush towards the bathroom. He heard the lock engage and the sound of running water shortly thereafter and he sighed, raking his hand through his hair. His eyes lingered at the door until another knock gained his attention. He quickly made his way to the door and opened it to see one of the Earth King's assistants._

_"Qing Zi?" he recalled._

_The woman bowed quickly. "Fire Lord Zuko. King Kuei is requesting your and Master Katara's presence at the palace immediately. There is an urgent matter in one of the former Fire Nation colonies and the king needs your help."_

* * *

The carriage ride to the palace was uncomfortable, to the say the least. Katara had avoided all contact with Zuko, ignoring his offered hand when climbing in, and choosing to sit next to Qing Zi, keeping her pointed gaze on the scenery that passed by them. Zuko stared at her with a concerned set to his face. Qing Zi did not know more other than what she had informed Zuko when she knocked on their door and picked them up so the ride was silent and the young woman looked nervously between the two dignitaries, the energy between them much different from the last time she had seen them just a little over a fortnight ago.

When they arrived, Zuko exited the carriage first to open the door for the women and help them down. Katara kept her eyes steady on the ground and then at the palace ahead of her, ignoring his waiting hand while Qing Zu hesitantly took his lingering hand and bowed in front of him in thanks. Zuko nodded at her in acknowledgement but kept staring after Katara's back as she continued towards the palace.

Qing Zi led them into King Kuei's throne room, which had been massively reconfigured since his birthday celebrations. The vast space was now bare save for the throne and the long table before it, several of the seats occupied by Earth Kingdom governors as well as some of Zuko's generals. Katara recognized two tribal council leaders from the North Pole, nodding at them in acknowledgement. She and Zuko took their seats at the last two available seats, next to each other. Zuko snuck a look at Katara out of the corner of his eye, but she was as resolute in not looking at him as she was when she first ran out of her bedroom that morning.

Katara closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath, feeling his gaze on the left side of her face. She kept her eyes on the table in front her, looking over the various maps strewn across the surface, only turning in Zuko's direction to give her attention to the Earth King once he began speaking. Zuko waited a beat to turn his attention to King Kuei, hopeful that she might glance at him, but her blue eyes were steely and steady as she avoided glancing at him.

"Thank you all for coming on such short notice. I know that today was meant to be a day of rest and a break from meetings, but the situation in one of the former colonies is quite urgent and requires us to come together and take immediate action." King Kuei gestured towards the scrolls on the table.

"We've received word of escalating tensions in the former colony of Yu Dao as we continue to implement Fire Lord Zuko and Avatar Aang's plans, known as the Harmony Restoration Movement. As you may know, we've finally begun implementing the policies that we detailed in the last few months. For now, Master Bei Fong and her students have stepped in and supplemented our forces in the region to help prevent any outbreak of violence, but we'd like to make sure that it doesn't get that far."

Zuko sighed. "Naturally." He reached for some of the maps. "Perhaps the Avatar and I acted too quickly in our plan to evacuate the Fire Nation presence in the region," he mused. "Our plan was to try and undo some of the damage that my ancestors caused."

One of the Earth Kingdom governors arched an eyebrow. "Does this mean that you'll renege on your agreement to pull back your forces?"

Several of the Fire Nation generals shifted in their seats, sitting up taller and leaning in.

"Of course not," Zuko replied coolly, holding up a hand to calm his men. "Many of the most recent troops have already returned to the Fire Nation so there are no more 'forces' to pull back. But obviously, the current plans to make sure all Fire Nation compatriots are returned aren't going as we had predicted."

Katara asked the governors, "Have the citizens of the former colonies voiced their reasoning behind the disagreement with the Avatar and Fire Lord's plan? What do your local mayors send word of?"

Another governor answered, "Master Katara, according to reports, it would appear that many of the Fire Nation citizens… simply don't want to leave."

Katara nodded. "Well that makes perfect sense."

The first Earth Kingdom governor scoffed. "Please, do tell. We would be honored to be enlightened by Master Katara herself," he sneered.

The two Northern Water Tribe men glared at him, their seats shifting slightly as if they were poised to rise from their seats. Katara heard the same happen on her left, but she fought the urge to turn to see Zuko's reaction. She looked at the maps in front of her and explained, "Many of these colonies have been established since the beginning of the Hundred Year War. The original settlers from the Fire Nation… they're already gone. It's their children and grandchildren, maybe even great-grandchildren, that you're sending back to the Fire Nation. And while they are Fire Nation citizens and of Fire Nation descent, it's a land that they do not know."

She turned to King Kuei, "These people, these _families_ have known nothing except the land that they live on. The homes they've built. The businesses and relationships that they've cultivated for generations at this point. Most of them are laborers and merchants. They don't travel freely between the nations like soldiers or politicians. They may be citizens of the Fire Nation, but they are strangers to it."

"That is _our_ land," another governor insisted.

"Have these citizens done any wrong? Since the war's end, their tax money has gone to the Earth Kingdom. They've not rioted or protested… until now. Even during the war, when I traveled to the Fire Nation colonies, I saw for myself… this land is their home, too."

The Northern Water Tribe council members nodded in agreement, understanding Katara's sentiments exactly. "Why would it be any different from the Northern and Southern Water Tribes? Two branches of the same tree. Even the sister tribes have slight differences in culture but we are proud to be called Water Tribe, all the same."

The same governor, Katara recalled his name was Da-Song, countered. "Are you suggesting that we turn them into Earth Kingdom citizens? They are _not_ of the Earth Kingdom."

Katara frowned. "Maybe by birthright, ethnicity, or by political lines, but they've known nothing else."

The second governor, Jing, interjected, "They will learn and adapt in their home country, then. Imagine the strain on the Earth Kingdom's resources to answer for these new citizens."

"It's not that simple!" Katara insisted. "You're breaking up families. I've seen some of them during my travels. Many are mixed-heritage and contain members from both nations. You would send husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, away from their children? And what of these biracial children? Will you allow them to stay in the Earth Kingdom or banish them to a land that they've never known? Does it just depend on which parent they take after in looks? Are we destroying these peoples' lives based on that?"

"Master Katara is right," Zuko spoke up. "The Avatar and I thought that we were making the right choice by removing the colonies… I still think we are, _but_ —" he looked pointedly at Katara when he heard her indignant scoff. "— that doesn't necessarily mean we should remove the occupants of the colonies."

King Kuei considered this and frowned. "And of the colonists who are proud to be Fire Nation? Will they allow themselves to be subjects of the Earth Kingdom? What course of action do we take if they refuse? Fire Lord Zuko, I don't think I need to remind you that you have already ceded the land to the Earth Kingdom. And the Earth Kingdom citizens will not like the idea of me giving it back to the Fire Nation."

Zuko clarified, "I wouldn't ask that of you. That land was forcibly taken and it wouldn't be right for the Fire Nation to keep it."

King Kuei sighed. "Perhaps I should've insisted the Avatar extend his stay so we could seek his counsel."

"Avatar Aang told me that he agreed to the Harmony Restoration Movement as it's his duty to maintain balance between all four nations. That was our intention when we created the plans. But if this is the outcome, then we should listen to Master Katara's suggestion. Ripping apart families does not create the harmony or balance we are seeking."

His gold eyes slid over to meet blue for the first time since that morning and Katara nodded at him in thanks. Zuko inclined his head at her before addressing the council. "These are people, not pai sho tiles. We can't shift them around as such."

Da-Song sighed. "The question still stands. Who do they answer to? King Kuei or Fire Lord Zuko?"

"Have we asked _them_?" Katara countered.

"Da-Song is right, Master Katara, it's not that simple," one of the Fire Nation generals said. "How can we expect these people to know what they want?"

The younger of the Northern Water Tribe men cut in, "You would be surprised. Even the Northern Water Tribe has modified its government structure in the wake of the war to make sure all of its citizens have an equal voice. The ways of our ancestors are not always right. Or have we already forgotten? The only way this era of peace can remain is if we accept change."

"Very well. Shall we send _two thousand_ messenger hawks to Yu Dao to ask every man, woman, and child their opinion?" Da-Song drawled.

"No." Katara stood and turned to King Kuei. "If you'll allow it, I'd like to travel to Yu Dao myself and help."

"Master Katara, in good conscious, I can't allow you to be put in such danger."

"King Kuei, with all due respect, during one of my first visits to Ba Sing Se, I was attacked and held captive by the Dai Li in the catacombs under this very palace. I survived that and much more during the war."

"She won't be going alone," Zuko added.

Katara's eyes flashed and she awarded Zuko with a second glance that day, though her usually warm eyes had a hard glint to them. "Fire Lord Zuko—"

"Master Katara is more than capable of handling herself. My desire to travel with her to Yu Dao is not a reflection of her abilities to take care of herself or my opinion of them. But she's right. The only way to solve this is head-on and by talking to the people themselves to see what kind of resolution can be reached. There has to be something we haven't though of yet. I believe it is my purpose to atone for my forefathers' wrongdoings and I want to be a part of the solution to the mess they made." He met her gaze again. "If you'll allow me to join you," he amended.

Katara gave him a long stare before nodding sharply. Zuko turned to King Kuei. "And if you'll allow us to do this. After all, the land is technically the Earth Kingdom's."

King Kuei considered the duo, his eyes narrowed behind his glasses. He nodded sharply. "Very well. You'll leave by nightfall and arrive in Yu Dao by late morning. I suggest you prepare immediately. I'll send a carriage to your dwellings as soon as our meeting is adjourned."

"Fire Lord Zuko can utilize his eel hounds," one of the generals offered. Katara considered the man closely and remembered him as being one of Zuko's crew when he chased them. "We can have the hound prepared quickly and it will allow them to reach Yu Dao much sooner."

"Thank you, General Jee," Zuko bowed his head slightly to the older man. "While I am away, I trust that you'll speak in my best interests until I return."

"Of course, my lord."

Katara raised an eyebrow at that as it was unheard of for the leader of a nation to bow to anyone in a lesser station. Especially for the Fire Nation. Especially for Zuko. Katara considered the general again and recalled that he was a lieutenant when she last saw him before they were all scattered in the Earth Kingdom after the Siege of the North. For him to rise through the ranks as one of Zuko's generals must mean that Zuko held this man in high esteem and trusted him deeply as she knew that the process of rebuilding his cabinet was painstaking and a source of paranoia for Zuko.

She spoke, "As I am the only representative of the Southern Water Tribe attending this summit, I'd like to appoint Inuk as my temporary stand in for all manners concerning the Southern Water Tribe. I trust him to keep my tribe's best interests at heart until I can return from Yu Dao."

The younger Northern Water Tribe man from before widened his eyes before lowering his head to Katara in a short bow, a fist over his heart. "It would be my honor, Master Katara."

Katara returned the bow before taking her seat at the table again. King Kuei gestured and one of his servants brought Bosco to the throne. The Earth King affectionately patted the large bear's head before heaving another sigh.

"I do wish you luck. I'd join you myself if I could step away from the summit. I'll send word of the representative going in my place once he agrees. I believe Haru will make a fine choice as his village is in the Western Earth Kingdom, near the location of the former colonies so he'll be able to meet you there quite quickly. And I recall that you both are acquainted with him. I'll also send word to see if it is possible for Avatar Aang to join you there. It may be best for the colonists to speak with heroes from the war and not bureaucrats. I look forward to hearing from you about the state of Yu Dao shortly."

Katara said, "We'll send frequent updates, of course."

Zuko assured him, "As soon as we reach an agreement, we'll send word by messenger hawk with official documents."

"Thank you all for meeting with me on such short notice. I trust that the governors will offer any support that you'll need during this journey. After all, we are all acting in the interest of harmony between _all_ nations. It is hard work."

"Bitter work," Zuko agreed wryly. "But it's work that must be done."

Once King Kuei ended the meeting, Katara hurried out of the throne room. Zuko rose to go after her, but held back for a moment to provide General Jee with instructions as well as coordinate the supplies to be packed with the eel hound they'd be using on their journey.

"Of course, Fire Lord Zuko. We'll pack light but efficiently. You and Master Katara will want for nothing on your journey. I'll have the eel hound ready and outside of your lodgings within the hour."

Zuko grasped the older man's shoulder in thanks before nodding and rushing out of the throne room to catch up to the Waterbender. He sprinted through the palace halls, his robes billowing around him. The other members of the meeting shared bewildered looks. The Northern Water Tribe Men sent the Fire Nation generals an inquisitive glance, but the generals could only shrug.

"We've never seen Master Katara act this way."

"Nor have we with Fire Lord Zuko."

Governor Da-Song groaned. "Well they are our only hope at the moment. Let them get over their lovers' spat and hope that they'll be able to focus on their job."

Once more, the Water Tribe men and Fire Nation men shared an uneasy glance over the Earth Kingdom man's flippant comment.

As Zuko burst through the main entrance, he caught sight of her hurrying across the courtyard. "Katara!" he called out. Katara didn't respond, but he saw her back stiffen before her pace increased. "Shit," he cursed, before running after her, leaping down the palace steps, skipping multiple with each leap as he rushed towards Katara.

He had just made it to the carriage as Katara hurried in, trying to close the door behind her. He wrenched it open and climbed in before the carriage began moving. Katara pursed her lips and glowered at him before pointedly turning to stare out the window as she did during their initial ride to the palace.

"Were you really going to just leave me stranded at the palace? We arrived in the same carriage!"

At her silence, Zuko sighed. "Aren't we too old for the silent treatment?"

Katara said nothing, but Zuko could have sworn that the temperature in the carriage dropped. As soon as the carriage stopped, Katara darted out and practically ran into the house.

Zuko growled under his breath, his patience wearing thin. He was right behind her as they entered the house and as soon as the door closed behind him, he called out again, "Katara!"

Katara's shoulders were high as she tensed. She stopped walking away but still faced away from him. "Zuko, it's okay," she grit out. "I understand and I don't need you to explain anything to me. I'm stupid and I was…. I don't know, feeling a lot of pity for myself and... and you were doing the honorable thing by not taking advantage of it. I'm embarrassed, okay?" she said in a rush.

She continued, "Don't worry, I get it. It's different for us. You're the Fire Lord. I'm the daughter of the Chieftain, but let's be honest, it's just in name. The Southern Water Tribe is still not, by any means, a grand nation or kingdom. And my father's blood isn't royal or noble. You were doing the smart thing," she ended coolly.

"Please, Katara, just listen to me." Zuko stepped towards her. "You misunderstood—"

Katara whirled around, her blue eyes alight with emotion. "I _misunderstood_? Zuko, don't insult me further. That's two nights in a row that you very obviously refused the moment— forget it! I told you. I get it. No one expects the Fire Lord to be with a dirty, Water Tribe peasant—"

"Katara, _stop_!" Zuko snarled.

"— no one expects you to have the Avatar's sloppy seconds—"

Zuko saw red.

He snapped, "Damn it, Katara, just shut up! Agni, I know you're feeling defensive because you're embarrassed and I'm sorry about that. But my behavior this morning— that's not what I meant at all and you fucking know it!"

Katara reeled back from his anger and tone, but true to form, she did not shy away for long. She stepped towards him and demanded, "Then what could you have possibly meant by turning me away twice? If it's not because you interpret it as a show of pity? If it's not because I'm so _beneath_ you? Tell me, Zuko! What could I have possibly misunderstood this morning?"

"Don't do that. Don't try to turn it around as if… as if I rejected you," he spoke in a small voice now, his hands shaking.

"You did," Katara said plainly.

"I _didn't_ ," he insisted. "You were drunk after King Kuei's birthday and you were high on cactus juice last night so forgive me if I wanted to make sure I was acting appropriately!"

Katara barked out a harsh laugh. "Cut the bullshit, Zuko. Is this payback? Because of how I initially rejected you at the Western Air Temple? When we were _children_?" She continued to laugh coldly. Zuko winced at the sound, unnerved at hearing the biting sound from Katara. "Well, you win, Zuko! You've managed to get in the last punch. That's three times now that you've rejected _me_ and thrice that you've hurt me— and _again_ in Ba Sing Se. You've really got a poetic sense of justice, don't you? I really applaud you for your patience and playing the long game," she hissed.

"No, that's not it! Agni, can't you see why I made my choices?" Zuko stepped even closer to her, such that Katara's chest nearly brushed his with the way they were both breathing heavily. "You said it yourself, poured your heart out to me ever since we arrived in this damn city. Always the Avatar's Waterbending teacher or the Avatar's girlfriend or the Chief's daughter or the Southern Water Tribe's healer. Next, you want to be the Fire Lord's… _what_? I didn't even know the horrible things my court was saying about you behind my back. I can't even protect you from my own people! If I heard them slander you, I don't know what I'd do. I'd probably burn down the entire capital! I respect you too much to subject you to that kind of treatment."

"So you've said", she sneered bitterly, her eyes turning glassy from unshed tears. She held her hands in tight fists at her side.

Zuko sighed. "I respect you because you are my best friend. You understand me like no one else does and I understand you in the same way. I know that you don't want to be trapped in the rules and webs of court life in the Fire Nation. It would stifle you."

"Stop assuming you know what I want. Spirits, you're just like every other man in my life, dictating what I should want and do for myself. Why does what your people think of me matter? Why can't you just admit that you don't think of me in that way, Zuko? Instead of leading me on— it's less hurtful," she sniffed.

He ducked his head and grabbed her shoulders to meet her eyes, held her with his gaze and not just his hands. "You deserve more. You deserve the freedom you've earned. No titles, no expectations. A life that is yours to live. That's all I want for you. If I were to act upon what I wanted? That's not fair to you and I can't do that." His hands slid from her shoulders to gently wrap themselves at the nape of her neck, cupping her face. "I can't be the one to hold you back. Or make you even more of a target."

"Do you even hear yourself? If this is about what I want… then why aren't you listening to me? We're both adults, free to make our own choices. I'm not a helpless little girl who needs you to save her— I've kicked _your_ ass plenty of times. I can take care of myself. I can handle a few ugly words and anything else the world tries to throw at me."

Zuko shut his eyes against the conviction in her words. The fire in her eyes. "Katara, please don't make this harder than it has to be."

"Oh, I'm sorry," she scoffed. "Have I inconvenienced you, terribly, Fire Lord Zuko? Please forgive me."

"Katara, I don't take this lightly."

Katara scoffed and grabbed his wrists to pull them away, but Zuko wouldn't budge. "Neither, do I! I don't even know what we're fighting over. It's fairly obvious to me. You don't like me in that way. I get it. I _respect_ it," she mocked. "Just stop feeding me excuses and lies to try and make me feel better. You're so damn dramatic and I let you set off my temper and turn it into this whole _thing_. It's not even that serious. I was drunk and hungover and I _flirted_ a little bit because I thought you were, too. Let it go!"

Zuko glared at her. "I've _never_ lied to you. I meant every single word I said to you last night. I wasn't trying to play games! And you _have_ inconvenienced me! Do you think that I _want_ to feel this way, knowing I can't do a damn thing about it? And now _you're_ the one twisting the whole thing and making it about something else entirely because you're embarrassed and angry and acting like a stuck-up little brat about it!"

"You're the Fire Lord, Zuko, you can do whatever the hell you want!" she shot back. "You know what, I don't know what you _expected_ , it's not like I even _wanted_ to. You were just right there," she sneered.

Ignoring the sting of her words, Zuko insisted, "You have it all wrong, Katara. Being the Fire Lord means that I'm more restricted and have to constantly be in control of my actions. Give up the things I want for the sake of my people. The potential repercussions are much more damaging."

"Spare me the sob story, Zuko!"

Ignoring her, he pressed even closer. "You want to know why I'm still alone? Why Mai left me? Why I can't even look Aang in the eye without feeling an ocean of guilt? Why it's not as easy as you think to just _flirt_ a little? It's because of _this_."

He rushed her and all of a sudden, Katara was surrounded by Zuko. His fingers tangled into the curls at the nape of her neck and his other arm snaked around her waist, pulling her in tight as he pressed against the small of her back. Their bodies collided and Katara felt his firm frame against her, under her palms as she placed her hands against his chest to regain her balance. His heat warmed her from head to toe. But despite the ferocity he spoke with, his lips met hers gently and Katara was so shocked by how soft they were. Her eyes closed and before she knew it, her hands glided across his chest and over his shoulders so that they could lazily loop around his neck. Zuko pulled her lower lip between both of his and gently nipped at it, causing her to gasp. He took this opportunity to deepen the kiss, coaxing her tongue to meet his, swallowing her resultant moan. The sound spurred him on and he dragged her body even closer, his hand splayed across her lower back and gripping tightly. The two of them reveled in the warmth that spread through their bodies, settling low in the pits of their cores.

Eventually, Zuko eased back, the firm press of his lips against hers turning into gentle brushes, dusting her face with light kisses. First, the corner of her mouth, each of her eyelids, the tip of her nose, her forehead. With a final kiss to her lips, he pulled back. Katara blinked her eyes open and stared at him with slightly dazed eyes and swollen lips, an image that Zuko would forever commit to his memory.

"Now you know," he said, his voice husky. "I could never let myself lose control before because... I'd drown in you, Katara. I don't know how I could ever go back to _before_..."

But she furrowed her brow in confusion. "You… I don't understand," she said softly. "I thought... you didn't have to..."

"I told you last night that you know most of my secrets," Zuko whispered, his voice low and breathless. He loosened his hold on the back of her neck so that his fingers gently stroked through her hair. "This is the last one, Katara. You could never just be a drunken fling or a casual, one time thing for me. And I've been keeping it a secret because I didn't want to get my hopes up or be disappointed by rejection. I wouldn't even let myself accept it for the longest time. I still deny it because admitting would make it even worse. Selfishly, I just knew that it would be too hard to let you go afterwards that I didn't want to try. Because you deserve so much better than me. But now you know."

Blue orbs widened in shock. "I never knew… you never said…" she maintained.

"How could I?" Zuko gave her a sad smile, the slightest quirk of his lips. "I'm just the Fire Nation boy that hurt you too many times. And you were in love with Aang. How could I tell you that you mean everything to me?"

"You're not just the Fire Nation boy that hurt me. You're the one that proved me wrong. That saved my life. That understood what it was like to have someone taken from you the way I have. That—"

"Grew up into the man… who shouldn't feel the way he does. Because it's not fair to you."

Katara look at him with an odd mixture of hope, fear, and sadness in her eyes. "Zuko… when…?" Her mouth continued to move but no sound came out as the revelation of Zuko's secret washed over her.

He gave her another odd smile. "Does it matter? To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure of that myself. After the crystal catacombs? When I first came to the Western Air Temple? When I helped you find your mother's murderer? When we sat next to each other to see the Ember Island Players? When I saw Azula try to strike you with lightning and knew with every fiber of my being that I couldn't let that happen?"

He took a shaky breath and tenderly tucked an errant curl behind her ear. Katara shivered from the feathery touch of his fingers against her skin. She saw Zuko's eyes hone in on her reaction sharply.

"With every letter you've sent me? The way you share your joy and your frustrations so intimately and take mine in stride because you just get it... understand _me_. Maybe it was the moment I washed up on the shores of the Southern Water Tribe and saw you there with Sokka's sorry excuse of a defensive wall. I don't know, Katara. It just happened and I still haven't really allowed myself to accept it, either. And then seeing you show up here in person for the first time in a year..."

The two chuckled lowly and Katara sniffled as she didn't realize she had begun crying while Zuko spoke. "All of this time…"

"Will you please believe that I have nothing but the most honorable of intentions with you?"

Katara scoffed. "Coming from you? I feel like an idiot for not realizing that sooner." Her face fell and she sighed. "You stubborn, stubborn man. But then why—"

"I meant what I said earlier. It wasn't just an excuse. Because I don't want you to get hurt or become a target. Being with me would put you in constant danger. From my enemies, from any traitorous countrymen, from _me_. I don't want to hurt you ever again."

"Your enemies are already my enemies."

"It's not the same. My enemies now are the whispers in the corridors, the secret meetings in dark pubs, insurgents hiding out in the forests. I refuse to let them turn their attention on you."

"How could—"

Zuko insisted, "The greatest way to hurt me, is to hurt you. And those you love." Zuko caressed her cheek before bringing her hands up to his lips to delicately kiss her knuckles. "And you love so many. I won't let my selfishness hurt them. Your family, your students, your many, many friends. And it wasn't an excuse to say that I think you deserve much more than what I could offer you. And that you should experience the life you _choose_ to live, undefined by anyone else. I'm a little jealous of your freedom…"

Zuko's face twisted and Katara frowned in confusion at the expression until he slowly let go of Katara and stepped back from her. Hurt splashed across her face and Zuko felt his stomach turn in knots at the expression. She held her hands out, supplicating.

"If this is about me living my own life... Don't I get a say in this?" she asked in a small voice. Katara watched him screw his eyes shut.

"I already know what you're going to say."

She laughed humorlessly. "Am I really that predictable?" She took another step, but Zuko moved away again.

"You should know better by now, Zuko. Water always finds a way through." Katara lunged towards him, taking him by surprise, and gripped his face in her hands. Her blue eyes were earnest, pleading. "Zuko, please. Let me—"

Long, pale fingers covered her brown ones. "If I knew that you were certain, there'd be no question. Katara, you know me. I'm a man of extremes. If I were to agree to what you're asking… I want nothing less than a real shot. Nothing to cloud our judgment. No half-measures. And you deserve the chance to live your life to your heart's wishes and without feeling as if you don't have control of it. I know that's what you've been seeking these last few months. Every conversation we've had always goes back to that. And if the spirits are kind to me for once in my damn life and you decide afterwards that you still want to try this… _me_ … nothing would make me happier."

"Oh, Zuko," she whispered.

"I would wait until you're ready."

Katara's lip trembled and she took a deep breath before she spoke. "And what if it takes too long?"

"I'm a patient man," he shrugged.

"Zuko." She frowned at his halfhearted joke. They both knew that neither of them was that patient.

He sighed. "I've chased you around the world before… I'd chase you to the Spirit World and back if I had to. Most importantly, I don't want to be a regret for you."

"You're so wrong, Zuko." Katara's fingers tightened on his face. "I'm the one who doesn't deserve this. You've been through so much and you're such a good man. You deserve the woman of a lifetime."

"She's right here. I don't want anyone else."

Katara's stomach jumped into her throat at his words and simultaneously felt as though it was filled with dragonfly hummingbirds. "How can you know that?" she asked under her breath. "And with so much certainty?"

Zuko chose his words carefully. "For a long while, I thought that I was just jealous of what I saw between you and Aang and how Mai and I never shared it. And how I could never find that kind of connection with someone. And then, when Mai and I broke up, I thought that those feelings would go away since I wouldn't have the pressure of trying to match this standard I created in my head. But they didn't. Then, I thought that I was just lonely and projecting my desire for a healthy relationship onto you. But then... again, I'm not exactly sure when, but I realized that it wasn't just the relationship I was searching for. It was you. Just you."

"You deserve more than half-answers," she said quietly, repeating his words. "And I don't know if I can give you that right now. Zuko, I... I mean, yes, I _like_ you. But I wasn't looking for a new relationship and I just thought that maybe I had a crush or something. This escalated more quickly than I anticipated and I'm not sure if I can reciprocate your feelings completely, not in the way you're asking," she admitted. She pulled her hands back, but Zuko held onto her fingertips so that she couldn't completely retreat.

He intertwined them and agreed, "That's fair."

"I'm sorry."

He smiled kindly, if not a bit disappointedly. "Don't apologize for how you feel. I'm not. I appreciate the honesty."

"You and your damn honor. Any other man would've just let it happen."

"I couldn't. It would mean too much to me."

Katara tugged him closer, forcing him to wrap his arms around her since their hands were still intertwined. She slowly disentangled her fingers and buried her face in his chest. Zuko took a deep breath and tightened his embrace, feeling her smaller arms reach around his torso in return. "No matter what, Zuko, you're always going to be one of my best friends."

Zuko tucked her head under his chin, gently cradling the back of her head and resting his cheek on the crown of her head. "No matter what," he concurred.

Katara hummed happily, her cheeks warming, and she placed her hand on his chest, over his heart.

With the pads of his thumbs, he wiped the tears from Katara's cheeks. "Do me a favor? Keep it safe, would you? You may not have realized it, but you've been the one holding it for the last few years."

Nodding, Katara's hand tightened over his shirt.


	6. Chapter 6

_Last Time…_

_"No matter what, Zuko, you're always going to be one of my best friends."_

_Zuko tucked her head under his chin, gently cradling the back of her head and resting his cheek on the crown of her head. "No matter what," he concurred._

_Katara hummed happily, her cheeks warming, and she placed her hand on his chest, over his heart._

_With the pads of his thumbs, he wiped the tears from Katara's cheeks. "Do me a favor? Keep it safe, would you? You may not have realized it, but you've been the one holding it for the last few years."_

_Nodding, Katara's hand tightened over his shirt._

* * *

Katara frowned in the darkness as they rode through the Earth Kingdom countryside. Zuko was sitting right behind her, his arms bracketing her as he held the eel hound's reins. But since their conversation, it was as if a door had shut between them. A veil of propriety. Even now, as his chest pressed against her back and she was cocooned in his arms, Katara knew that he was holding back. She imagined how he might have held onto her securely with a firm arm around her waist instead or how she might have leaned back and rested against him as they traveled in the night. But now, knowing what they knew, they were holding back. She pressed her lips together to fight the sigh that threatened to come out.

"Hey," Zuko gently nudged her. "You should get some sleep."

The eel hound's gait created a rhythmic tempo that might have been able to lull her to sleep on any other night. But Katara shook her head, feeling restless. "Full moon. Can't sleep." She didn't want to add that her brain simply refused to shut off, their earlier conversation replaying in her mind on a constant loop.

Zuko stole a glance at the sky and saw the astronomical body in question. Its silvery light shone through the few clouds in the sky and gently lit their path to Yu Dao. "I never knew," he murmured.

Katara couldn't help but smile. "Even after our fight at the Spirit Oasis? After all, Zuko, you said it yourself. If you rise with the sun, it only makes sense that I rise with the moon."

"I knew that you had the advantage over me at night. I didn't realize that it meant you have trouble sleeping during the full moon. I never noticed it."

"Its energy makes me restless. The only full moon we spent together that you would have noticed, we were in search for Yon Rha… You also told me to rest that night, but of course I couldn't," she remembered, laughing quietly. "It's why I was able to…"

Her smile fell and Zuko noticed she tensed as her voice quieted. Zuko prodded, "Hey, what's going on in that head of yours?"

"The full moon is when it's easiest for me to," Katara twisted her face, "Bloodbend."

"Bloodbending…" Zuko frowned in confusion as he mulled it over. "Is that what you call it?"

Katara shrugged and kept her eyes down, focusing on her hands and how they gripped the front of the saddle. "It's what Hama called it. She was a Waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe, captured during a raid and brought to a Fire Nation prison. She was probably my age when she was taken. Maybe even younger. They kept water away from her when she was imprisoned and she learned how to call on the water inside others instead. That's how she escaped. We ran into her right before the Day of Black Sun. I thought she was a friend… I had never met another Waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe and she said she would teach me the Southern style but she just wanted to make sure that someone else knew how to Bloodbend."

"The way you had controlled the commander of the Southern Raiders— I thought it was an expansion of your healing capabilities."

Katara's eyes widened and she turned in her seat to stare at Zuko incredulously. Her voice aghast, she asked, "You thought it was part of my _healing_ abilities?"

Zuko lifted a shoulder and tilted his head in a small shrug. "How does healing work?" he asked.

Katara thought back to when she was at the North Pole, learning from Yugoda. "The body is largely made of water. We use water as a catalyst to redirect chi throughout the body, revitalize the body, and encourage the acceleration of its natural healing process," she recited. Her words brought to mind the image of the dummy Yugoda had used, and the many chi paths throughout the body. "I guess I could see how you could think it was a tangent of healing," she allowed.

"Have you considered using it with your healing?"

Shaking her head vehemently, Katara said, "The idea of exerting my own will over someone else like that seemed too dark. The power drove Hama insane. I only used it when I had to fight her, to break her control over Sokka and Aang before she had them hurt each other. And when the two of us were searching for Yon Rha. When my anger got the best of me."

Zuko considered this and spoke slowly, "Hama was lonely and vengeful, which twisted how she used her gift. You shouldn't fear the power, but be mindful of the intention behind it. It took a pair of dragons for me to understand that my Firebending wasn't just destruction, it was also energy and creation. Take, for example, a soldier whose wounds bled too quickly for traditional healing to help. If you could control his body that way, to staunch the bleeding and get enough time to heal adequately, how could that affect your outcome?"

Katara bowed her head and chewed on her lower lip thoughtfully.

"I'm not trying to tell you that you _should_ practice it, especially if the skill makes you uncomfortable. I'm just thinking out loud."

"No, you've given me a new perspective to consider. I couldn't heal Jet because of how badly he was bleeding internally… but maybe if I knew how to Bloodbend… I might have been able to do more."

"At Lake Laogai? That was before you even knew of Bloodbending," he began, not wanting Katara to feel guilty.

"But now I've put a face to the cause."

Zuko peered down at her and saw the familiar look of determination. "It would be dangerous to teach," he admitted. "But with strict regulation and careful, selective sharing of the knowledge, it could be helpful among the healers of the world."

"Aang wouldn't like it," Katara muttered.

"Aang is a physical manifestation of our world. He doesn't rule the world," Zuko reminded her. "Like I said, regulation and caution with sharing the skill is important. Sometimes, Aang favors the ways of the Air Nomads too much. The irony is that it makes him stubborn to other points of view."

"Hearing that would make Toph's day," Katara grumbled, earning a small snort from the Fire Lord.

"That's our goody-goody guru. There's balance to everything, Katara. Light and dark exists in all of us," he said sagely, reminding her of Iroh. "There's even a dark side to the moon."

"I don't know if I _could_ teach it. I haven't practiced it in years."

Their eel hound slowed and Katara turned again to stare at Zuko quizzically. He guided the creature toward the bank of a nearby river, allowing it to drink while he slid down from the saddle. He looked up at Katara with his arms held out. Katara raised an eyebrow at him but swung her leg over and slid down, letting Zuko grip her around the waist to soften her descent.

"What are you doing?"

"It's a full moon," he stated simply.

Katara's eyes widened. "You want me to Bloodbend you? No way!"

"Hey, it's either me or the eel hound and I'm the only one who can consent. Move an arm and wave it around. I'm not asking you to stop my heart." He glanced away and muttered, "Not that you need Bloodbending to do that, anyway."

Katara blushed. "Zuko, I'm serious! I could hurt you!" She motioned to climb back onto the eel hound. "This is crazy. We've got to get to Yu Dao."

"We're good on time. General Jee gave us the fastest eel hound." Zuko raised a hand to the animal's neck, affectionately patting the leathery surface. "He deserves a little rest." He turned to Katara, his amber eyes bright in the moonlight. He raised an eyebrow in question.

"Fine!" Katara huffed.

Zuko smirked, "Don't act like you're not a little excited to try it out."

Allowing a small smile, Katara took a deep breath and stepped closer to him. "Let me try it this way first. I want to start slow," she whispered, more to herself than to Zuko.

Zuko nodded and told her, "Whatever you need."

Katara placed a hand on his chest, sliding her palm across to his shoulder, following a path down to his fingertips. She hummed curiously to herself before furrowing her brow. She widened her awareness of her element and could almost see the paths of chi in Zuko's body, the way Yugoda had shown her so long ago in a hut in the North Pole. She called to the blood in his arm and stepping away from him, she took a deep breath and flattened one of her hands as if it were a blade and directed it as if she were holding the tip of a spear.

She lowered down, shifting her weight onto her back leg and simultaneously pulled her fingertips up, concentrating on Zuko's arm. It lifted into the air. She arced her other hand gracefully in a semi circle, Zuko disjointedly waving his arm as she did so. She saw how his eyes widened and he grit his teeth.

"Are you fighting it?"

"Trying to," he revealed, through a clenched jaw.

Katara could see droplets of perspiration on his forehead. With another breath, she threw her hands wide, watching as Zuko did the same, his arms splayed. For a moment, he hugged his arms to himself, resisting her Bloodbending, but Katara was able to overcome him so his arms stretched out again.

Then, she lifted her arms as if summoning a wave, and Zuko lifted into the air. Tensing one of her hands into a blade again, she stepped forward and pushed her right hand out and around in a clockwise motion. Zuko spun around as if dancing in midair. She continued to manipulate his limbs, pulling his arms and legs in different directions. With a final breath, Katara slowly brought her arms down and released her hold, letting him stumble lightly onto the grass, shaking out his arms as he did so.

"Katara, that was amazing!" he praised. He rushed towards her and grabbed her upper arms. "How do you feel?"

"I feel fine," she said. "It wasn't tiring at all. I'm surprised it came back to me so quickly, it's been so many years. It must be the full moon."

"You're incredible," Zuko complimented. "We call you Master Katara for a reason, you know," he teased.

"Oh hush," she swatted at his arm in embarrassment. "But thank you."

"If you'll humor me…" he began. Zuko reached behind him and unsheathed one of his dual dao swords. He held the blade over his palm and quickly cut across. He grunted and reflexively closed his fist as blood seeped out from between his fingers.

Katara quickly pulled water from the river and gloved her hands, the familiar blue glow already appearing. "Zuko, what the hell?"

"Wait, don't heal it yet," he grunted. "Try stopping the flow instead."

"You're insane," Katara snapped. Nevertheless, she relinquished the hold on the water over one of her hands and hovered the de-gloved hand over his injured one. "Open your hand," she ordered. She winced at the dark red liquid that stained his pale skin. "You didn't have to be quite so dramatic, you know."

Zuko gave her a lopsided grin. "You've met my family. It was bred into me."

She made a plucking motion with her fingers and Zuko stilled at the odd pull in his body, letting out a small gasp. "I'm fine," he assured her. "It's just a strange sensation. I've never felt that before."

"I don't think anyone has," Katara quipped.

The blood seeping out of the cut slowed before being held completely still. Then, she completely opened her hand, her fingers spread wide as if pushing against the blood's natural flow. She sandwiched her water-gloved hand between her Bloodbending one and Zuko's, concentrating on drawing chi to the injured skin while holding his blood at bay. Her brow knit together as she split her concentration to perform the two types of Waterbending. Katara brought both hands away once the skin sealed itself, as unblemished as before. She used the healing water to wash away the dried blood.

"Well?"

Katara considered his hand before looking at her own. "Obviously unnecessary for a cut that shallow, but I get your point. Let's hope I don't have to actually put it to practice any time soon. At least, not until I've mastered it fully," she said dryly before her lips slowly curved into a smile. "Your heart's beating so fast," she told him.

His gold eyes widened. "You can tell without touching me or actively bending?"

"It's like… it's like I've seen a map except, I only had to see it once and now I can't ever get lost. I wonder if this is how Toph feels all the time with her seismic sense. I'm very aware of your body." She caught herself and flushed. "I mean, more than usual." Her flush intensified. "I mean— I've healed you before, so it's a familiar landscape—"

"Than usual?" Zuko grinned.

"What I _mean_ is, I just have more of an awareness of it and how it's operating. Because I've healed you multiple times, I'm just more attuned to you." She scowled, but her cheeks were still pink and Zuko could see the color, even in the darkness.

"I've told you that you're incredible, right?" he said, not wanting her to feel self-conscious.

"You could stand to tell me more often," she sniffed haughtily.

"I wish I had that much control over my element." Zuko held his hands out and created twin flames, condensing the flames into tight fireballs, pulsing in his palms. "I still have trouble generating lightning," he confessed quietly, extinguishing the twin flames. He met her gaze and smiled. "And then here you are, casually mastering your element as well as all of its sub-skills. And it's as easy as breathing to you."

"Not quite. Or have you already forgotten my pathetic attempts to create a water whip when we first met?"

"All you needed was the chance to learn properly. A few weeks at the North Pole and you nearly had me beat."

Katara scoffed. "Nearly? I think we have very different recollections of our duel at the Spirit Oasis."

"Clearly," he arched a dark eyebrow at her.

She giggled and sighed, staring at her hands again. "This is a dangerous skill to teach others," she murmured.

"I'll help make sure that this knowledge doesn't fall into the wrong hands."

"You will?"

"All I do is write legislature," he prompted. "I can help."

"Thank you," she said earnestly.

"And feel free to use my body however you need," he added casually. "I'm happy to volunteer in the name of knowledge," he said with mock solemnity.

Katara blushed again and lightly shoved at him. "You've gotten so bold!" she laughed.

Zuko grinned back and was able to block the faux-blows she was inflicting on him. He grasped her wrists and held her close. "I've got nothing to hide. Nothing to lose," he reminded her. His eyes roved over her face, from her large, blue eyes to the delicate curve of her smiling lips as if memorizing it.

Katara tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at him playfully. "Are you courting me?"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Courting you?" he echoed, his distaste for the word evident.

Her grin widened. "Wooing, then, if you prefer."

It was Zuko's turn to turn pink but he laughed off her teasing easily, leaning into her. "If that's what you want to call it," he said lowly, so close that his breath ghosted over Katara. She shivered and he smirked proudly.

"I meant it when I said that I don't want to rush you. It's not what I'm trying to do," he said sincerely. "But… now that the truth of my feelings is out, I'm not going to pretend that they don't exist. I still know that I'm not good enough for you, but I'm willing to spend as much time as I need to try and convince you _and_ myself that maybe this could work. I'm done trying to sabotage my own happiness. I told you, Katara, I was always so scared because I knew that if I just had a taste, I wouldn't be able to let you go. I was right."

They were so close that his lips brushed against her cheek as he spoke and he nuzzled her face tenderly. Katara's eyes fluttered close and she sighed, "Spirits… you're so stubborn. Some might say relentless."

"Tell me…" he swallowed, "Tell me if you need me to stop and I will. Tell me if you don't want me to show you how I feel and I'll never do it again."

"Zuko, I'm still not... I don't want any kind of misunderstanding," she breathed, tilting her head back to allow him more access as he placed gentle kisses on her face, careful to avoid kissing her lips. "This isn't fair," she complained lightly, though her words held no heat.

"Who said life was fair?" he retorted, but he pulled back nonetheless, looking rather pleased with himself. His expression sobered slightly and he said quietly, "Katara, tell me if you want me to stop or if my actions aren't welcome. I mean it."

Katara smiled. "Zuko, you'd know." She focused her awareness into his body and for the briefest of moments, held him with Bloodbending. His body stiffened as everything stopped and his eyes widened as he felt her exert her control over him, though she immediately released him after a beat. "I've literally got you in the palm of my hand."

Zuko smirked at her with pride.

* * *

"Well look who finally decided to show up," Toph drawled. She smirked as she stood at the edge of the campsite created just outside of Yu Dao.

As General Jee had predicted, riding by eel hound had allowed them to reach the city quickly, the sun just beginning to crest over the horizon. The sky was a pale lavender as the night faded away. Zuko dismounted before helping Katara down. He briefly stretched, hearing Katara's joints crack with his as she did the same.

"It's good to see you, too, Toph," he retorted. "I'm surprised you're up this early."

"Since I knew you two were on your way, I volunteered for the early morning watch. Had to greet the Fire Lord and Sugar Queen myself."

Katara rolled her eyes at her old nickname. "How has it been?"

"Put it this way— I'm glad you two are here to deal with the politics. I'm just the muscle. A few of the colonists leading the protests were calmed down when we told them the Fire Lord was coming to discuss other possibilities." The petite Earthbender created three stools out of rock and gestured for them to sit with her. "Tensions are high, but no one _wants_ to start a fight. They're tired of the fighting and want it to be over with, preferably while getting their way."

"Haru will be on his way as well. This way, both the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom are represented during peace talks."

"And what about you, Sweetness?"

Katara scoffed. "Obviously, I'm mediating. Besides, it was my idea to even talk to the colonists. All of the men wanted to jump right into using force."

"Not quite," Zuko interjected.

"Please, Zuko, you know that those Earth Kingdom governors were itching for it," Katara snapped.

Zuko put his hands up in surrender and dropped the subject. He rose. "I'm going to make sure our tents are situated before we start peace talks."

Toph grinned, turning her face in his direction. "You don't want an earth tent made by the greatest Earthbender in the world?"

Zuko made a face. "No."

"Psh, sounds like someone's gotten spoiled in his fancy palace. Fine, go ahead and set up your cushy canopied tents. I've got Katara to keep me company."

"Oh gee, thanks Toph. It's so nice to know that I'm your second choice in company," Katara griped, as Zuko walked away. "Anyway, what have—"

"Alright, c'mon, spill!"

"Spill _what_?" Katara asked, taken aback.

"What's up with you two? Have either of you finally told the other about your massive crushes?" Toph demanded.

"What? What are you talking about?" Katara said too quickly, her voice slightly higher than usual.

Toph huffed and rolled her eyes. "You should know better by now that you can't lie to me. Even if I didn't have seismic sense, you're a terrible liar, Katara."

"You knew Zuko liked me?" Katara hissed with a hushed voice.

" _Like_ you? Sweetness, if he just _liked_ you, then he must loathe the rest of us based on how his heartbeat changes whenever you're around. I swear, that thing sounds like one of Ba Sing Se's trains whenever you get near him. Been that way for the last few years, but I kept quiet since you were with Aang and it was painfully obvious Zuko didn't even know what the hell he was feeling. But since you're single and I'm picking up on the same kind of vibrations from you... I thought that maybe you two knuckleheads would suck it up and finally admit how you feel."

"You've known about Zuko's feelings for _years_? And you didn't say anything?"

"Not my place to tell. I've known about _your_ feelings for a while, too, Katara, and I didn't say anything." Toph waved her hand in front of her eyes and jeered, "Besides, I thought _I_ was the blind one here. Katara, he nearly died for you. He trusted _you_ to be the one to help him take down Azula. He helped _you_ confront your mother's killer. You're the only one who really got him once you forgave him." Toph furrowed her brow at Katara's silence. "Katara?"

"It's not that simple," Katara said quietly.

"What do you mean? You like him back, don't you? I mean, I've felt that the two of you have always danced around each other, but with what I saw at Ba Sing Se a couple days ago, I was certain that you finally realized you liked him, too."

"It's not that simple," Katara repeated, her tone defensive. She sighed. "I thought it was, too… but it's not."

"Because of Aang," Toph guessed.

Katara winced. "No, not just Aang. But that's another bridge that I'll need to cross. It's me. I guess it's Zuko, too. But it's mostly me."

"You lost _me_."

"I'm not in the right place to be what Zuko wants. And Zuko thinks that I'm… also not ready to be with him. At least not in the way that he wants."

Toph pursed her lips. "And how does he want you?"

"Without half-measures," Katara said pensively. "And he's right. Our friendship is too important to the both of us to jump into something without certainty. We both deserve better than that."

"If the two of you just asked me, I'd let you both know that you're both crazy about each other." She narrowed her eyes at the Waterbender. "There's something you're not telling me. Something's different in your guys' body language."

Katara blushed. "I didn't agree to be _anything_ with him... but now that he's confessed his feelings to me, Zuko may be trying to woo me in the meantime."

Toph made a face and mimed that she was throwing up. "Damn, Katara. The man's been through enough in his lifetime, you're putting him through that sappy crap, too?"

"I didn't tell him to!" Katara shot back. "I thought we were just going to pretend nothing happened, but then last night…" she trailed off as her voice took on a wistful tone.

"Last night? What did you two do last night?" Toph asked with interest.

"Nothing, but Zuko was very clear on where he stands." Katara raised a hand to her temple to rub away the oncoming headache. "Honestly, Toph, I didn't think you'd be interested in this kind of conversation. I pictured Suki to be the one grilling me for information."

"Oh, she'll get the full update in my next letter to her."

"Don't you dare!"

"Don't lose your panties, Katara, I know you're worried about Sokka finding out. I'm just kidding, jeez. But you and I both know that he wouldn't do shit. And in case you've forgotten, I still can't write letters."

The two women turned at the sound of approaching footsteps. Zuko announced, "We're meeting after lunch, which will allow enough time for Haru to arrive and rest a little bit."

Toph laughed. "Once Aang shows up, then it'll just be a council of Katara and her boyfriends."

" _Toph_!" Katara hissed.

Zuko raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth to speak, but Toph held up a hand and grinned knowingly. "Don't even bother, Sparky. You should know by now that you can't hide anything from me."

Zuko glared at her but turned to Katara, "Haru?" he asked instead. His face was carefully impassive.

"Haru's just a friend," Katara maintained. "Toph's just instigating things again," she grumbled, leveling her own glare at the Earthbender.

"C'mon, Katara, I'm the blind one here. Zuko already knows."

"Knows what?" she snapped.

Zuko said exasperatedly, "It was pretty obvious Haru liked you with the way he looked at you when we were staying at the Western Air Temple."

"He didn't _look_ at me."

Zuko turned to Toph as if she could see the expression on his face. He looked back at Katara and simply said, "Okay."

Katara scowled. "He didn't," she persisted. "He's just a friend."

Toph cackled and got to her feet, walking towards camp, waving a hand over her head. "Whatever you say, Katara."

Feeling Zuko's gaze on her, Katara repeated, "He's just a friend!"

Zuko pressed in closer. "The way we're friends?" he asked lowly.

Katara shivered and blinked under the scrutiny of his gaze. "No," she said her voice breathy.

With a smirk, Zuko whispered in her ear, "Good." Then, he walked past her to begin leading the eel hound towards the campsite area intended for mounts, where it could rest and graze.

Katara gaped at him. "You're jealous," she accused, trailing after him.

"You don't even know the half of it, Katara," he warned.

Katara bit her lip to try and fight her smile, both amused and flattered. "I knew it," she said dramatically. "That temper was always something to watch out for."

Zuko laughed. "You're one to talk! Don't act as if you don't get jealous, either. I saw how your facial expression soured whenever Aang had fangirls surrounding him," he said lightly.

He removed the saddle and bridle from the eel hound so it could roam and graze without restriction. Zuko hefted the leather and cords over a nearby fence and grabbed a bucket of what looked like meat scraps, dumping it into an empty trough, coaxing the eel hound to eat. He pat it once on its hind as if to thank the creature, before washing his hands in a separate trough of water and doing a walk around of the eel hound, checking its limbs to make sure it was unharmed from the long journey. Katara watched him with interest, trying to reconcile his actions of the every day man with the natural regality he exuded.

"What?" he asked, his discomfort evident. He had felt her gaze on him and was self-conscious as she watched him.

"Nothing," she said kindly. "It's just strange seeing the Fire Lord performing some mild farm labor."

Zuko shrugged. "Uncle and I had to hide in the Earth Kingdom as refugees," he reminded her, filling the water trough with another bucket he had lifted from a nearby well.

"It's not a bad thing, Zuko. It's just interesting to see. I think you're the first Fire Lord in a long time who can truly understand what life is like for citizens in every class." She smiled reassuringly. "It's actually quite good. It gives you perspective and empathy." She sped things along by bending the water from the well straight into the trough until it was full.

With a sigh, Zuko nodded. "Definitely missed those two qualities the last couple of generations."

"Fire Lord Zuko!" A Fire Nation soldier hurried to them, quickly bowing. "A messenger hawk has arrived for you. The seal indicates that it's from the Avatar." He handed him the scroll before bowing and rushing off again.

Katara raised an eyebrow. "Aang?"

"It's probably in response to King Kuei sending word of what's happening here." Zuko unfurled the parchment paper and nodded to himself. "He's confirming that he's on his way on Appa." His golden eyes met hers cautiously.

"Honestly, Zuko, you don't have to look at me like I'm going to become a nervous wreck. We're adults and Aang should know that I'm not going to get back together with him."

Zuko blinked and couldn't help but feel immense relief at her words, his shoulders dropping and losing their tension immediately. He offered a crooked smile and quickly ducked down to kiss the crown of her head. Katara preened at the affection, causing Zuko's smile to grow.

"And what about Haru?" he asked with exaggerated seriousness.

Rolling her blue eyes at him, she swatted at him. "You're ridiculous."

"Territorial," he corrected.

"I'm not yours to be territorial over," she pointed out. Zuko's gold eyes glinted with something that Katara couldn't name, but she shivered at the knowing smirk he gave her. It was as if he knew something she didn't but whatever it was, it made her knees weak. She gulped nervously. "You should respond to Aang's letter."

"I should," he agreed casually. "I'll also make sure to have things set up for his and Appa's arrival. Set aside a lot of hay."

"Okay."

"Okay."

They both stared into the others' eyes, entranced in their own little world. Finally, Zuko broke away and cleared his throat. "You should also rest since you were up all night. I have a feeling that we won't get much while we're here."

Just then, Katara's jaw split open in a wide yawn. "I thought _I_ was the Bloodbender here," she mumbled afterwards.

"Believe me, you are," he said pointedly.

Katara's cheeks pinked, but she smirked at him as she walked away, towards her tent. And maybe Zuko's eyes were deceiving him but he was certain she swayed her hips just a little more for him.

* * *

Katara threw herself onto her futon, ignoring the clamor of the men outside as they trained and sparred in the empty field. She rolled onto her back and stared up at the canvas above her. They had been in negotiations with the former colonists for close to a week now and finally ironing out the finishing touches of the agreement they had settled upon. Their progress was stilted, as they had to constantly send word back to Ba Sing Se for King Kuei's input and final approval. Their messenger hawks were probably exhausted.

Even with Haru acting in his stead, they all agreed that King Kuei's official involvement was imperative to ensuring that this new plan would be effective and carried out the way they intended. It would also lend additional legitimacy and prevent the threat of future altercations between the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom. She laughed quietly to herself. As soon as the shy Earthbender arrived, Zuko immediately took to spending time with him, taking everyone by surprise with his sudden interest in sparring with Haru and discussing the possibility of opening new trade routes between the Fire Nation and western Earth Kingdom, where Haru was from.

Katara had confronted him about it, but the Firebender smiled humorlessly and told her that he had learned to keep his eye on the competition. That had earned him a light water whip to the butt and Katara insisting that she had never been involved with the innocent Earthbender, causing them both to dissolve into a fit of laughter. Afterwards, Zuko admitted that while he was a little jealous, he genuinely wanted to get to know the Earth Kingdom man better.

When Aang had arrived with his sky bison, the atmosphere had changed significantly and outside of the meetings with the colonists and mealtimes, Katara had been avoiding the last Airbender, which of course, Toph called her out on. Zuko hadn't said anything, but she saw the look on his face when Katara skirted around the subject when he tried to broach it.

A silhouette appeared at the front of her tent and Katara frowned in confusion. She rose from her futon and ducked outside, thinking it was Zuko coming to bring her to dinner, surprised to see the Avatar in question hovering uncertainly. "Aang?"

He smiled sheepishly at her and asked timidly, "Can we talk?"

Katara stared at him for a moment before agreeing, gesturing for him to walk with her to the edges of the campsite so they could have some privacy. They ended up close to the tree line that protected their makeshift base and settled in the shelter of the trees, the glow from the various campfires offering minimal light in the waning light of dusk.

"So…" Aang began hesitantly. "I wanted to apologize, firstly, for the way I spoke to you in Ba Sing Se. At Iroh's tea shop."

"Aang, you don't have to—"

"No, really. I was out of line. I would've sent a letter, and you were probably expecting one after Zuko filled you in, but I wanted to talk to you in person and apologize in person."

Katara felt a pang of pity at the sadness in the young man's face. Sometimes, she forgot that for all of his youthful exuberance, Aang had lived a thousand lives and it was during moments like these when she saw the toll it took reflected in his round, grey eyes. "I accept your apology. I'm sorry, too, Aang."

"For what?" he muttered, rubbing the back of his head nervously.

"For breaking your heart," she said simply. "I care about you. So much. And I never want to cause you pain. But neither of us were happy." Aang looked as if he wanted to argue but was clamping down on his words. Katara sighed and reached out to take his hand and squeeze it encouragingly. "It's okay. Say what you need to say."

"I was happy," he said finally. "I thought _we_ were."

"I'm sorry," Katara said again. "I shouldn't speak for the both of us."

Aang sighed and raised his eyes up to stare at the night sky through the trees. "Don't be. I shouldn't be speaking for the both of us, either," he told her. "It is what it is. I have a hard time letting go of the past, you and I both know this."

"Your heart is so big and you love so hard. It's difficult to let go. I want you to know that you are a fantastic guy and that when the time comes, you're going to find someone who loves you so much, it'll be like you're seeing everything clearly for the first time. They'll change your life completely. But that person? It's not me."

Aang smiled sadly as he stared at her and Katara knew he was thinking of when he first saw her after a century trapped in an iceberg. His eyes held a trace of skepticism. "Is that what happened for you?"

"Me?" Katara's face fell into a pout. "No, I think I just realized that what I wanted for myself and what you planned for us… they didn't align and my heart wasn't in it the way it should be. A relationship is an opportunity for two people to grow together and I felt like you were growing and finding your footing in your destiny, but I wasn't doing that _with_ you. But I know that there's no way the spirits didn't intend for you to meet someone who will." She considered him, her head tilted in thought. "Why?"

"I don't know… I guess it was seeing Haru here."

"Haru?"

"C'mon, Katara, have you seen the way he looked at you during the war?" There was amusement in his eyes and his lips quirked in a minute smile, teasing her.

Katara laughed hard. "I must be blind then," she joked. "Or you, Toph, and Zuko are in on something that I'm not. I've always seen Haru as a friend, nothing more. He needed a friend and support at a time when he had none."

"You're pretty good at being that," Aang told her sincerely.

"So are you," Katara returned.

"Just so you know, all the guys knew that Haru liked you, but that he was also terrified of how Sokka might react if he tried to ask you out."

"Poor Haru," she said, feeling pity for the kind Earthbender. She reiterated, "Nothing happened between us. I think of him as a good friend. Besides, I think that was just a childhood infatuation. It's been years."

"Don't write him off too quickly," Aang joked. "He's also a pretty powerful bender. Remember what Aunt Wu said."

Katara burst into another round of laughter. "You were eavesdropping on my readings?"

Aang blushed. "I was more than a little invested," he explained.

"I ought to pay her another visit, for old time's sake."

This made Aang grin. "The poor woman will be driven to run right into the mouth of Makapu Village's volcano."

He held his arms out and Katara welcomed the friendly hug, embracing him warmly before pulling back. "I'm glad we were able to talk this through," she confessed. "It really sucked not being able to talk to you the way we used to."

"I agree."

"Come on, they'll probably be serving dinner soon."

"You go ahead."

Katara nodded, understanding that the Avatar might want time to himself. She squeezed his shoulder reassuringly and disappeared from the shadows of the trees and back into the clamor of the campsite. Aang's eyes were trained on her, watching thoughtfully as Katara approached Zuko, who was waiting outside of her tent with a tiny, but warm smile, her hand briefly grazing Zuko's before he placed his hand on the small on her back as they walked to a campfire together.


	7. Chapter 7

_Last Time…_

_Aang held his arms out and Katara welcomed the friendly hug, embracing him warmly before pulling back. "I'm glad we were able to talk," she confessed. "It really sucked not being able to talk to you the way we used to."_

_"I agree."_

_"Come on, they'll probably be serving dinner soon."_

_"You go ahead."_

_Katara nodded, understanding that the Avatar might want time to himself. She squeezed his shoulder reassuringly and disappeared from the shadows of the trees and back into the clamor of the campsite. Aang's eyes were trained on her, watching thoughtfully as Katara approached Zuko, who was waiting outside of her tent with a tiny, but warm smile, her hand briefly grazing Zuko's before he placed his hand on the small on her back as they walked to a campfire together._

* * *

Katara dipped her quill into the inkwell and signed her name at the bottom of the official scroll Aang had passed her. They had chosen to use special vellum instead of the usual parchment paper to signify its importance and to ensure it would be better preserved. Once she was done, she slid the document to Haru, who signed and then stamped King Kuei's seal next to his name before passing it to Zuko. They repeated this process another four times so that a copy of the document would be in the possession of the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, Air Acolytes, and the newly constituted United Republic of Nations.

They each sat back in their seats holding their nation's copy of the document, sharing tired smiles. Aang was the first to speak, rising from his seat.

"I'm glad we were able to work together to come to a new understanding. I have a lot of faith in the United Republic of Nations and what it stands for. What it symbolizes for everyone post-war. The four separate nations have a lot to learn from each other and it will be exciting to see how it comes to fruition in this new nation." He smiled warmly at everyone, though his eyes were weary.

Haru smiled and rose with him, lifting his glass. "To the United Republic of Nations!"

They all stood to follow in Haru's example and raised their glasses, though Katara kept her gaze on the young Airbender worriedly. As they separated, Katara quickly followed after Aang as he rushed out of the large tent they were using to hold their meetings. Zuko's eyes trailed after the two of them but he stayed put, engrossed in conversation with the leader of the protests that started it all, Morishita. He was giving his thanks to Zuko, reiterating how this allowed families to stay together, as Katara had championed for throughout all of their peace talks.

"The work isn't done yet," Zuko hedged. "We'll have to appoint the council members to lead, but that'll happen in due time. Once the news has spread and we've all deliberated on who the best representatives would be. We'll likely finalize the decisions after returning to Ba Sing Se and finishing our summit."

The middle-aged Fire Nation man nodded in understanding. "We will be fine in the meantime. As long as we can get back to living our lives as it was before." He gestured to his wife, an Earth Kingdom woman sitting with two young children, entertained by Haru and Toph as they made various figures out of dirt. "All of the people here— we can't thank you all enough."

Zuko smiled reassuringly and placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's our duty," he said simply.

His eyes slid to the tent's entrance, where Katara and Aang exited. He sighed and led the man to join the rest of his family, watching the children laugh at Toph and Haru's antics, glancing over his shoulder again at the tent's entrance.

Katara quietly stepped into the stable as Aang made to climb onto Appa, the huge sky bison making soft grunting noises at the reappearance of his human companion. "Were you planning on saying goodbye?"

Aang turned over his shoulder with a shameful expression, but continued to make his way to Appa's neck, where he would steer. "Everyone's celebrating. My job here is done. I have more to do at the Eastern Air Temple."

"Aang… I know that you're upset."

Aang shook his head. "Roku's upset," he explained.

Frowning, Katara replied, "Because you agreed with me."

"He believes the four nations should have been kept separate. That that's the only way to maintain balance. But it's different. He doesn't understand the effects of the colonies. The colonies were after his time. You're right Katara— we can't break up more families. Don't feel bad."

"I just don't like the idea of you leaving when you're this upset."

"It's not for you to worry about," he said gently. "I have access to the previous Avatars to seek their counsel, but I don't necessarily have to listen. After all, they urged me to kill Zuko's father five years ago, but I couldn't. They can only advise me based on their own experiences. I'm the bridge between our worlds. As much as I try to impart their wisdom to us, they need to realize that sometimes, I'll have to impart our wisdom to them. That includes yours. So don't feel bad. I know we did the right thing. Appa, let's go."

Aang pulled on the reins and Appa obediently rose to his paws with a grumble. The gentle beast nuzzled his face against Katara as he passed her. They walked out of the stable, Katara slowly following them.

"Be safe," she told him.

"You, too," Aang replied. "Yip yip," he called out, and with a massive swing of Appa's tail, the last two Airbenders took off into the night sky.

Katara sighed and reflexively reached up to smooth her fingers over the cool pendant around her neck anxiously.

"Is everything all right?"

Katara jumped and whirled around, gasping in shock as she saw Zuko leaning against the stable's entrance, his arms crossed and one leg bent against the wooden door. His brow was furrowed as he stared up into the darkness and watched after Appa and Aang's shrinking silhouettes. He pushed away from the stable to stand closer to Katara and grasp her shoulders, his fingers rubbing soothingly at the juncture of her neck and shoulders, pressing against the tension in her trapezius muscles.

"How's Aang?"

Katara made a face. "Upset. Avatar Roku is one of his greatest friends. Aang respects him _so_ much and always likes to seek his counsel. I think it really hurt him to know that Avatar Roku was disappointed in his handling of the colonies."

Zuko frowned. "On behalf of my great-grandfather, I'm sorry. I can see that my stubbornness is a common trait in my family tree. I seem to always witness firsthand how it causes us to hurt the ones we care about."

"Oh Zuko, you don't need to apologize. Some call it stubbornness; some call it determination. I love that about you, even when it _does_ drive me insane. I'm the same way, too. I'm sure Sokka and all of our friends would concur. I just don't like seeing Aang so hurt. It always makes my heart ache knowing that he's already lost so many friends to time… and then to something that was _my_ plan."

"Hey, don't go and get a big head. This was _our_ plan, alright?" he teased, trying to lighten the mood as well as ease the guilt he knew she was feeling.

Katara nodded, though her lip trembled. Immediately, Zuko wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in close, running his fingers through her hair rhythmically and pressing his lips to the top of her head. He relished how easily the hugs came now, how the feel of her in his arms was becoming more and more familiar. "It's going to be okay," he reassured her.

She turned in his embrace and he tightened his arms around her frame, his lips brushing against her hair soothingly. "It's okay," he repeated quietly.

Once she seemed to be ready, Zuko pulled away, cupping her face in his hands. His lips pursed into a frown as he saw her persistent frown. "You have nothing to feel guilty over. Trust me. You can't protect everyone all the time. You've got to have some hope that it will all work out in the end. We have to let time do its job."

Katara sniffled and offered him a weak smile. "A hope lecture coming from you?"

He grinned. "Next, it'll be you giving me a talk about honor."

"There they are!" Toph's voice echoed in the night. "Where the hell have you two been? Haru and I have been looking for you guys. The mayor of the colony gifted us with the special wine he's kept in his cellar for _years_ and we're trying to celebrate." Her voice trailed off. "What's going on? Where's Twinkletoes?"

"Aang left," Katara said quietly. She kept her gaze down and turned her head slightly so that Haru couldn't see her expression.

The young Earthbender looked at her in concern anyway. "Is… everything alright?" he asked tentatively.

Zuko moved so that he slightly shielded Katara from view. "Everything's fine," he said with a tone of finality. "Go ahead, we'll catch up."

Toph considered Zuko and Katara for a moment before she took Haru's hand and tugged at him. "Well you heard them. Come on, before I grab you by your beard and hopefully convince you to shave it off."

Haru didn't look convinced, but Zuko met his gaze meaningfully and Haru nodded in return before allowing Toph to drag him away. He pulled his hand out of her tight grip before retaking her hand in a more gentle manner. Toph blushed but Haru smiled as they returned to the larger tent where everyone was having a celebratory drink.

Zuko stared and nodded at the retreating Earthbenders. "Guess Haru doesn't look at you quite like that. At least not anymore," he joked.

Despite her mood, Katara laughed, although the sound was thin. "I _told_ you. Even Toph couldn't see that coming— well, I mean—"

Zuko laughed through his nose, fighting his smile. "I know what you mean." He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Are you feeling better?"

"Now I am," she said softly, her eyes meeting his warmly. "Thanks to you. And I guess Haru."

"Haru, huh?" he grumbled goodnaturedly, earning a quiet giggle from the Waterbender. He turned and tucked a strand of hair away from her face to tuck it behind her ear. "Shall we?"

Katara smiled up at him and to his surprise, grasped his hand in the same manner that Haru took Toph's hand. "We shall."

When the morning came for them to make the trip back to Ba Sing Se, Zuko found himself watching as Katara played with a large group of the town's school-aged children after they had come into town to quickly stock up on just-in-case supplies, as Katara called them, for the overnight trip. The children giggled and squealed as she created an octopus out of water, trying to tag them with her tentacles. Then, she morphed the water into the shape of the unagi, sending it through the crowd of kids, the watery eel chasing and weaving through them as they ran to avoid it. Finally, she sent the unagi into the air before throwing her hands down so it looked like she would drench everyone. The children closed their eyes and held their arms over their head in preparation, but when they felt nothing, they gasped and cooed at the delicate crystals falling onto them, the flakes melting as soon as it made contact with their skin. The snow glittered in the morning light and they all hurried to try and catch it in their hands, on their tongues.

Zuko's face softened as he continued to watch the scene, staring at his favorite Waterbender with tender affection. His golden eyes crinkled slightly as he smiled after watching several of the kids tackle Katara, wrapping themselves around her legs and reaching around her as much as they could with their small arms. Katara stumbled backwards in surprise but quickly caught her balance, hugging as much of them as she could in return, her laughter carrying across the road to him. He turned when he heard soft laughter near him.

A young Fire Nation woman was watching the same scene, her arms full with a basket of food from the market, her eyes focused on a small boy who was around four years old. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude, Fire Lord Zuko. I just wanted to call in my son to help the rest of his siblings with breakfast. But I think I'll let him play with the others a bit longer. It's not often that we get snow here."

Zuko considered the little boy. He was quite stocky and had bright green eyes, typical Earth Kingdom traits that accompanied his raven hair. The angle of his nose and more delicate shape of his mouth were the only clues that hinted towards his Fire Nation ancestry that came from his mother. "Master Katara's shows are always a rare treat," he said finally. "I don't blame him for wanting to see for himself."

"She is quite spectacular. The children here in Yu Dao adore her. And I know many of us mothers appreciate the respite she's provided during this time by watching over them when not involved in the meetings. I imagine her own children will be very lucky when the time comes."

Zuko's shoulders tightened slightly. "When the time comes," he murmured. "Forgive me for asking, but I couldn't help but notice—"

"That my husband is an Earth Kingdom man? Yes, well that is the case for many of us here and in the surrounding former colonies. Or you'll find many an Earth Kingdom woman with a Fire Nation man. Or even otherwise, not that it's any of my business," she said with a slight, knowing smile. "But the people of the colonies have had several generations of co-existing so we don't even think about it. I suppose it's not as common elsewhere?"

"Very rare," Zuko confirmed.

"I hope that the United Republic of Nations opens eyes, then. If such great love can be found between an Earth Kingdom man and a Fire Nation woman like my husband and me, then I should hope that others are inspired to find their own partner elsewhere if they haven't yet in their home nation. There are a great many people in the world. If you ask me, it's absurd to limit your options and search to whoever's down the street."

Zuko inclined his head in consideration. "It sounds as though you're trying to convince me, when believe me, you don't need to."

The woman looked between him and Katara and raised her eyebrows in delight. "Oh, I hadn't realized congratulations are in order, my lord."

Zuko's jaw dropped. "They aren't," he stuttered. "I simply meant that I needed no convincing of your ideas. It was our understanding and welcoming of the multicultural diversity of the colonies that led us to forming the United Republic of Nations."

"I see," she smiled wisely. "So it would have nothing to do with Master Katara, then. Or perhaps Master Toph? I do think that she may be soft on the other Earthbender, though."

Zuko commented, "You're quite astute."

She winked at him. "Call it a mother's intuition. Have safe travels, Fire Lord Zuko." She called for her son to follow her into a nearby home and the other children began to disperse as well.

Katara smoothed her tunic before joining Zuko. "Are we set to head back to Ba Sing Se? I'm sorry I got carried away with the young ones. But they've never really seen Waterbending and I couldn't help it."

"There's no rush, Katara," he assured her. "And apparently, your entertainment has been a welcome reprieve for many of the busy mothers in Yu Dao."

"Is that what that woman was talking to you about?"

"Among other things," Zuko said vaguely.

Katara rolled her eyes and placed a hand on her hip. "I'm not the jealous type, Zuko, Besides, that woman is clearly unavailable."

With a raised eyebrow and a smirk, Zuko responded, "Firstly, you _are_ the jealous type. Secondly, you forget, Katara— I'm the Fire Lord."

"Fire Lord, Schmire Lord. Careful, Zuko, or your crown won't fit on your big head anymore."

Zuko scowled at her and began to retort when he grabbed her by the waist and spun her around so that she was shielded by his own body. Then, he turned and immediately unsheathed his dual dao blades to block the strike that was coming for her, the metal ringing out as it collided with the man's sword.

Zuko's face darkened and his lips pulled back over his teeth in a snarl. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he demanded.

"That _witch_ is not welcome here!"

Using his second blade, Zuko used the butt of the sword to strike the man in the abdomen, causing him to lose his breath and crumple over. Zuko kicked the man in the chest, sending him flying back and the landed hard on his back in the middle of the road, the sword clattering loudly from his grasp. Many of the townspeople froze and watched the fight with wide eyes. Zuko advanced and continued to hold out one of his blades in the man's direction, the tip primed at the man's throat.

"Try again," he said in a quiet voice, the deadly tone unmistakable. "This woman came to Yu Dao to help its people and I won't have you disrespecting her. What issue do you have?"

"Fire Lord Zuko, I am a proud member of the Fire Nation and I only aim to protect you and your honor. This Water Tribe whore thirsts over powerful men and has already had her fill of the Avatar and cast him aside. It's obvious that she means to set her sights on you and I am doing my civic duty to defend my lord from those who would threaten him. First, she tries to ensnare you and now she curses our children—" The words tumbled out of his mouth, prompting Zuko to rush forward, the cool metal nearly touching the man's skin, and his already light skin paled further in fear at being the object of the Fire Lord's scorn.

"You're _wrong_ ," Zuko hissed. "By attacking Master Katara, you attack _me_ and everything I hope to accomplish for the Fire Nation. We've dedicated our lives to rebuilding the world from the damage of my ancestors and Master Katara has done nothing but show compassion and understanding for all who need help in the wake of the war. If she is not welcome, then neither am I."

"My lord, you misunderstand—"

Zuko held the blade even closer to the man. "No, _you_ misunderstand on two separate counts. I'm no longer your Fire Lord and any word against Master Katara is slander against me," he growled.

Katara pleaded, "Zuko, please."

"Katara, he needs to learn that his words have dangerous repercussions," he growled out.

"I don't care about his words!"

" _I do_!"

"We can't control other people's thoughts. Zuko, listen to me. What he did was wrong, but he did it with good intentions. Speaking harshly shouldn't cost him his life."

"My great-grandfather Sozin had what he thought were good intentions," he reminded her. "And this man wasn't just speaking harshly, Katara, he tried to kill you. You'd rather I let him go through with it?"

"I'd rather that you not kill this man here," she said evenly.

"Katara, he tried to _kill_ you," Zuko ground out again, his jaw clenched.

"I know. And he wouldn't be the first. He certainly won't be the last."

She stepped closer and looked into the man's eyes, her blue eyes fierce. "I understand that you don't trust me. And that distrust comes from not knowing me or my people. But please know that I would never hurt Fire Lord Zuko. My prior relationship with Avatar Aang is between him and me. While many laud us as heroes, we're only human and experience many of the same personal tribulations as you. Avatar Aang is still a dear friend of mine, as is Fire Lord Zuko, and I don't owe you any other explanation."

Katara lifted her head to speak to the crowd watching them. "I came to Yu Dao to make sure that no more families would be torn apart and because I believe that love has no boundaries. It doesn't see race or background and I wanted to protect the unique love that is found here and in many of the colonies. I have a lot of hope for the future of the United Republic of Nations as a symbol of the possibilities we can achieve when we welcome the differences of the four nations instead of trying to keep them separate. That's all we came to do."

"And before you forget, I was the Avatar's Waterbending teacher. Don't let my display with the children fool you. I don't need Fire Lord Zuko's help to defend myself." Her voice held the barest hint of a threat and the man's eyes widened in recognition.

She turned to Zuko and inclined her head at him meaningfully, gesturing at the man held by the tip of Zuko's broadsword. "Zuko, your word isn't law here anymore. We're visiting diplomats. We have to leave this man to the laws of the United Republic of Nations."

Zuko's jaw shifted, but with a yell, he pulled back his blade. The man scrambled to his feet and was immediately swarmed by a group of men, who grabbed him by the arms and shuffled him away.

"We'll take care of him," one of the men swore. "He'll face proper punishment for the violence he tried to incite."

"Attempted murder is the phrase you're looking for," Zuko said coldly.

The man struggled, but Zuko and Katara only watched with a hard look in their eyes. Then, the man ducked his head shamefully and was pushed through the crowd of townspeople, many of whom jeered at him.

Zuko sheathed his swords and turned to Katara, agitation still etched on his face. She frowned at the expression and itched to reach up to touch his face, but she knew that they were still being watched by curious townspeople. His eyes roved over her as if to make sure she were alright, a tightness to the amber eyes that Katara had seen before. She nodded at him knowingly and he sighed, rubbing his hand over his face tiredly.

Without completely turning to the crowd, he said clearly, "I am sorry that we are leaving on a sour note. We truly are proud of what we've accomplished in our agreement with the colonies and only do our best to serve our people."

An older man stepped forward and inclined his head respectfully. "Fire Lord Zuko, Master Katara, that man does not speak for us. Many of us are overjoyed with your presence in Yu Dao and your aid in helping our communities find their footing after the war's end. We do hope that this doesn't spoil your opinion of this town and assure you that he will be dealt with lawfully. As the founding city of the fifth nation, we would like to set a better example."

Katara smiled kindly at him. "Thank you for that. Fire Lord Zuko and I both know from firsthand experience that one man's words and actions do not represent a whole nation's. I should like to come back to Yu Dao from time to time to visit and please, don't hesitate to send word if the need arises."

She bowed politely at him as well as the crowd, who returned the gesture. Many of them waved and cried out well wishes for safe travels as she and Zuko departed, heading back towards the campsite to return to Ba Sing Se, their supplies in hand. As soon as they had exited the town's boundaries and were far enough not to be seen, Zuko dropped their things and turned to Katara.

"Are you alright?" he asked tersely.

"I'm fine," she reassured him. "Are you?"

Zuko scoffed. "I'm fine. But that man— I could've killed him alone just for what he tried to do. And then what he said... he shouldn't have spoken to you like that!"

Katara shrugged sadly. "It comes with the territory of being the Avatar's former girlfriend and a public figure in general. And it proves that you were right." Her blue eyes were disappointed and they seemed to remember his previous words to her.

' _Always the Avatar's Waterbending teacher or the Avatar's girlfriend or the Chief's daughter or the Southern Water Tribe's healer. Next, you want to be the Fire Lord's… what? I didn't even know the horrible things my court was saying about you behind my back. I can't even protect you from my own people! If I heard them slander you, I don't know what I'd do. I'd probably burn down the entire capital I respect you too much to subject you to that kind of treatment.'_

Zuko frowned and gently caressed her cheek with the back of his fingers. He shook his head slowly. "I don't want to be," he said quietly.

With another shrug, Katara replied, "Doesn't mean that you aren't."

"I was so incensed. Terrified. He didn't hurt you physically, but if I wasn't fast enough—"

"It's okay, Zuko. It doesn't matter."

"It doesn't matter?" he echoed incredulously. "How could it not?"

"I'm not afraid. It doesn't change how I feel."

Zuko locked eyes with her, his breath catching in his throat. "What do you mean? How _do_ you feel then?"

Katara picked up their bag of supplies and smiled up at him before she began walking again, Zuko keeping pace at her side. She relented when he tugged her bag from her hands to carry it himself.

"One day at a time and one thing at a time. This is behind us and we need to focus on getting back to Ba Sing Se and finishing our duties. Then, maybe… afterwards, we can talk more about how I feel, among other things."

"Other things?" Zuko prodded.

"Duties to _ourselves_ ," Katara clarified. She wouldn't meet his eyes, but the tops of her cheeks turned pink. "I still don't want to promise anything, but I do think that it deserves more conversation."

Zuko's heart felt light. He smiled gently. "I'm glad."

They returned to their makeshift campsite, which had quickly been cleared, the Fire Nation soldiers able to disassemble the small tent city and begin moving out now that they were no longer needed to enforce the evacuation of Fire Nation citizens back across the sea to the archipelago. Many were glad for the chance to return home to their families earlier than planned. Zuko noted that a handful of the men had come to him to request their official discharge as this task was supposed to be their last assignment. It appeared that some of them had found reasons to stay in the Earth Kingdom after being stationed on the large continent for months or even years. Some had even approached Katara for tips on how to best make their way to the North Pole.

"The North Pole?" Zuko asked in surprise. He raised an eyebrow as he attached a bag to the saddle on their eel hound.

Fiddling with her hair, Katara shifted her weight as she watched him. "Apparently, some of the healers sent by the Northern Water Tribe crossed paths with some of your men after the retaking of Ba Sing Se by the Order of the White Lotus. They seem to have made quite the impression if a bunch of Firebenders are willing to go to the tundra to follow after them," she quipped.

"I don't blame them," Zuko murmured. "That will be an interesting situation. The Water Tribes are quite isolated due to the climate and distance from the other nations. There haven't really been chances for interracial relationships the way there have been between the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation. And the Water Tribes are a very tight-knit community. I hope my men won't have too tough of a time."

Katara considered this and hummed to herself thoughtfully. "As long as the healers they're interested in aren't already betrothed, I don't foresee an issue. But the Northern Water Tribe, while more open than it used to be, is still very wary of outsiders," she admitted. "Chief Arnook didn't even approve of Sokka when it seemed that Princess Yue might be interested in him. I mean, she was already betrothed, but it was obvious she loathed her fiancé."

Zuko's eyes widened. "You mean Sokka's girlfriend that turned into the moon was the Princess of the Northern Water Tribe?"

Katara blinked. "He told you that? It was always a sore subject and Aang and I tried not to bring it up after the Siege of the North."

"When we went to free your father at the Boiling Rock." Zuko shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I think I told him, 'That's rough, buddy.' There's not exactly a protocol for what to say to Sokka's situation."

Katara laughed at the anecdote and helped Zuko secure the eel hound's bridle, patting the creature's cheek kindly. She explained, "I think all Sokka needed was someone to listen to him. And you two are best friends, so obviously he thought your response was fine. Yue was very sick as an infant. None of the healers could save her. She was given the chance to live by Tui, the Moon Spirit. Tui had imparted some of its own lifeforce to Yue… and when Zhao managed to kill Tui during the Siege of the North, Yue was brave enough to repay the favor and give back the lifeforce keeping her alive. She was reincarnated into Tui."

Her blue eyes softened at the memory of her old friend. Zuko covered her hand with his comfortingly and she continued, "But anyway, the point I was trying to make is that the Northern Water Tribe is very strict with tradition. It's eased up somewhat since the war, but to be frank, I wish your men all of the luck in the world. It won't be an easy transition, but when they came to talk to me, they seemed sincere, which will be respected by the tribe."

"Well if it isn't our royal highnesses, the Fire Lord and Sugar Queen themselves."

Zuko and Katara turned to see Toph sidling up to them with a grin, Haru at her side. Katara rolled her eyes at the detested nickname. "Will you be heading back to your school?"

"Yup. My students have taken enough of a vacation. Or at least the ones that didn't come with me. It's time to crack the whip and get them into shape. The workload should be much easier now that I have another teacher to help."

Katara blinked and asked excitedly, "Haru? Will you be helping Toph teach?"

Haru nodded shyly. "You'll remember that I wasn't able to use my Earthbending as much as I wanted to during my childhood. My father has been able to formally train me more since we freed him and the war's end. But having Toph open up my eyes to the larger possibilities of my Earthbending was too much of a good chance to pass up. I'll be learning as well as teaching. I haven't quite been able to Metalbend, but hopefully, I will soon."

"That's amazing. You already have such a natural talent and I'm sure that Toph will be able to help you improve," Katara said earnestly. She looked ruefully at Toph. "I'm glad you'll be having the extra… _help_ , Toph."

To Katara's surprise, Toph's pale skin pinked, but the younger woman crossed her arms and tossed her head to get her dark bangs out of her face. "Shut it, Katara," she snapped, though there was no heat to her words. "It'll also give me time to keep an eye on Yu Dao," she continued. "Especially since Zuko told me you two had trouble earlier today. So don't worry, Sparky, I'll make sure that guy learns his lesson."

"Oh Zuko asked you to do this, did he?" Katara asked, her eyes sliding over to the Fire Lord in question.

Zuko cleared his throat. "You two have safe travels. I'm sure that the school will be churning out the best Earthbenders in the world if you two are there to teach."

"Thanks, Zuko," Haru replied. "Actually, I wanted to make sure to catch you guys before you leave so that I could hand you the Earth Kingdom's copy of the agreement. I'm sure King Kuei will want to hold onto it."

He held out the vellum secured with a wax seal of the Earth Kingdom. Zuko accepted the scroll and secured it in one of the saddlebags attached to their eel hound, next to where his and Katara's copies of the scrolls were kept.

"I actually think it would be safer with you two at the academy. No one would dare to try and steal from Toph. But you're right. King Kuei will want his copy for his personal records."

Katara sighed. "I guess this is it for a while."

She held her arms out wide and while Toph made a face, she stepped into the Waterbender's embrace easily, Haru not far behind. True to form, Zuko had to be tugged in by Toph and Katara to join the group hug. He was the first to break away. Katara held on to Haru for a moment longer, whispering something in his ear that caused him to avert his eyes shyly and blush. He ducked his head and squeezed her shoulder affectionately. Zuko raised an eyebrow at that but kept quiet.

"Be safe," he said finally, after attaching their last bag to the saddle.

Toph waved off his farewell with a lazy flick of her hand. "Don't worry about us, just make sure you and Madam Fussybritches make it back to Ba Sing Se in one piece. I'll be on the lookout for a messenger hawk from you two."

"You'll get one," Katara assured her. "Along with a package of your favorite sweets from that shop in the Upper Ring."

Toph grinned and lightly hit Katara in the upper arm. "Knew there was a reason I kept you around, Sweetness."

Zuko grasped Katara around the waist and lifted her up onto the eel hound, climbing up after her. With a final look at the two Earthbenders, he pulled on the reins, the eel hound rising to its full height and padding its feet in place before making off eastward, back to Ba Sing Se.

"What was that?" he asked once they had made it to the main road.

"What was what?" Katara smiled knowingly.

"Tease."

Katara laughed and leaned back, resting her head against his chest. "Oh you mean between Haru and me? It's nothing."

"Didn't look like nothing."

"For goodness' sake, Zuko, it's none of your business." She looked over her shoulder and giggled at the Fire Lord's disgruntled expression. "But if you must know, I just told him that he shouldn't get discouraged if Toph doesn't seem outwardly interested. That she's actually shy about these things. To give her time."

"But not too much time," Zuko pointed out.

Katara nodded. "Not too much. After all, he waited too long to tell me he had a crush on me and now—"

"Now what?" Zuko cut in, his voice shrill.

Katara smirked slyly. "Well..." she dragged it out.

"He confessed his feelings _now_?"

"Of course not, Zuko," she responded smartly. "But I'm just saying, who knows what might have happened if he acted a little sooner?"

Zuko narrowed his eyes and glowered at the road ahead of them. "Careful, Katara, I was really starting to like Haru."

Katara grinned at him and said, "Enough with the dramatic threats. You know as well as I do that any crush he had on me faded years ago. A girl just wants to be flattered with a little jealousy."

Zuko's eyes locked with hers and Katara felt her stomach flip from the intensity. "Be careful what you wish for," he advised, his voice low and warm.

With more bravado than she knew she actually had, she retorted, "Taken under advisement. Now let's go home, Zuko."

She turned and settled against his chest again and Zuko smiled to himself as he held her a bit closer, urging their eel hound to quicken its pace, suddenly excited to return to their home.


	8. Chapter 8

_Last Time…_

_Zuko narrowed his eyes and glowered at the road ahead of them. "Careful, Katara, I was really starting to like Haru."_

_Katara grinned at him and said, "Enough with the dramatic threats, Zuko. You know as well as I do that any crush he had on me faded years ago. A girl just wants to be flattered with a little jealousy."_

_Zuko's eyes locked with hers and Katara felt her stomach flip from the intensity. "Be careful what you wish for," he advised, his voice low and warm._

_With more bravado than she knew she actually had, she retorted, "Taken under advisement. Now let's go home, Zuko."_

_She turned and settled against his chest again and Zuko smiled to himself as he held her a bit closer, urging their eel hound to quicken its pace, suddenly excited to return to their home._

* * *

Katara brought a slender hand to her temple, gently rubbing it in an effort to ignore the pounding headache she was developing. With a cursory glance around the table, she saw that Zuko looked to be of the same mindset, but he was much more subtle about it. The only sign was the line etched between his brows as he considered the other Waterbender's words. Once their announcement of the newly-formed United Republic of Nations was made and celebrated, Katara had then offered her suggestion for the teaching and necessary regulation of Bloodbending, which, of course, sparked immediate outrage from the Northern Water Tribe representatives.

"This cannot be right! It's a twisted affectation of our abilities as healers!" one of them claimed.

Katara sighed. "There is potential for that," she admitted, as she had many times before when the man kept circling around to this point. "But as I've told you before, Fire Lord Zuko and I believe that this skill can be controlled if we take preemptive and preventative measures with the right legislature as well as careful selection of the sharing of the skill."

Zuko added, "All bending has its risks and dangers. We allow benders to hone and practice their gift and trust that they won't use it for the wrong reasons. Master Bei Fong could bring down the entire city of Ba Sing Se if she so chose. Master Katara could sink the capital of the Northern Water Tribe. I could incinerate the Fire Nation capital city. Yet, you let us, and thousands of others, practice our bending because you trust that we _won't_." He paused to look at Katara purposefully.

"Master Katara is the best Waterbender that I've come across in my travels around the world. And one of the strongest opponents I've ever fought against and had the honor of fighting side by side with. She has mastered her gift to unparalleled lengths as well as all of the possibilities it allows: first with healing and now Bloodbending. She has surpassed every test your tribe's Waterbending Master has given her and has proven herself more than capable in situations that no one could have imagined by playing a pivotal role in the war's end. Master Katara taught the Avatar. And she accomplished all of these feats before she was _fifteen_ years of age. And she accomplished it through more than just talent. It was her passion, hard work, willingness to learn, and determination that led to her mastery of her element. There's no one else I would trust with the handling of this regulation and I will always advocate her knowledge and ability of everything related to Waterbending. More importantly, I will always advocate for her judgment. There's no one else with a kinder heart and Master Katara always acts with the best intentions so we can be sure her knowledge won't go to the wrong hands."

He turned his attention to the Northern Water Tribe council leader and arched a dark eyebrow at him. "What else would you require?"

The man pursed his lips. He sat and sighed, holding his hands out entreatingly. "I just worry—"

"I know, Tulok," Katara interjected gently. "I worry, too. When I first learned the skill, it terrified me. I was forced into learning it to protect the Avatar during the war while we were traveling through the former colonies. I don't like the idea of using it sinisterly to exert power over someone else's will. But… I would be remiss to think that it doesn't have any use. It just needs to be used wisely. There are lives that have been lost… and I wonder if maybe using Bloodbending could have helped give people a _chance_ to be healed." Katara frowned as she remembered Jet and how he lay dying beneath Lake Laogai. "I don't see it as a means of debasing Waterbending, but a chance to expand its capabilities for _good_."

"I think…" the second, younger Northern Water Tribe man spoke up, "Master Katara has a point."

"You agree with her, Inuk?" the first man asked incredulously.

"Tulok, how many good men have we lost? From what Master Katara has described, it's far from complete omnipotence. And it seems like Bloodbending requires careful tutelage as well as caution when practicing… you said it can only be done on the full moon?"

Katara sat straighter in her seat and rolled her shoulders back. "For the moment. I've attempted using this skill outside of this timeframe but each attempt exhausts me so far. It's both a hindrance and a failsafe, but I intend on seeing the possibilities on nights other than the full moon. As soon as I can use the skill without pain or fatigue, I'll attempt it during daylight. After all, we don't heal only on nights of the full moon. But as Fire Lord Zuko and I have said, Bloodbending isn't a perversion of Waterbending, but a chance to expand its possibilities for helping others."

Inuk considered her words and turned to Tulok, who nodded solemnly. "Then, the Water Tribes are in agreement and are ready to support this act, as long as Master Katara can provide a full draft of regulations by the summit's end in two weeks."

"The Fire Nation is in agreement as well," Zuko added. "I'll also be aiding Master Katara in writing the draft as well to continue this council's agreement to pass legislature in unification in the interest of transparency."

King Kuei considered the table of leaders before him and slowly nodded. "The Earth Kingdom agrees, dependent on the final laws as written by Master Katara and Fire Lord Zuko."

"And of the Air Acolytes? Avatar Aang's agreement?" the Earth Kingdom governor, Da-Song, inquired.

Katara quickly shared a glance with Zuko, who knew of Aang's distaste for Bloodbending. She answered, "We'll present the regulations to Avatar Aang when he arrives for the summit's conclusion at the end of the month for the final selection of the United Republic Council." She smiled weakly. "Then, we should be squared away until we revisit the topic at the next summit in beginning of the summer."

The men at the table expressed their concurrence with a booming chorus and King Kuei dismissed them. The Earth King governors were quick to leave the throne room, eager to return to their homes and retire for the evening. Zuko met quietly with his generals to discuss their next orders as well as inform Zuko of the latest news from the Fire Nation. Katara approached Inuk and Tulok clasping her hands in front of her and bowing her head respectfully. The two Water Tribe men raised their eyebrows in quiet surprise but smirked at the young Waterbender.

"Master Katara, there's no need," Inuk insisted.

Katara met his gaze and quipped, "Which makes my gesture all the more respectful. And truly, I want to express my appreciation for your support of my plans. I understand that it is an ability that can have devastating effects and the power may be tempting, but I have hope that we'll be able to use Bloodbending wisely and bolster our healers' capabilities. Healing is also such a beautiful gift that I should also like this to be an opportunity for more healers to be spread throughout the world. There are many who can use our help and I believe that we can do that."

Inuk clapped a heavy hand onto Katara's shoulder and gripped it warmly. "You are a true example of what the Water Tribes stand for. I'm sure the Chiefs will look on your plans with favor."

Thinking back to her memories and past encounters with Chief Arnook, Katara narrowed her eyes playfully at the Northern Water Tribe man. "Inuk, I didn't take you to be a liar," she teased.

Tulok added, "Chief Arnook is a hard man to convince, but he has looked to you and your brother for counsel in the wake of the war as he does respect your opinions. I'm sure the younger of our healers will be interested in this plan. However, we will not send word until the laws' final passing. No need to rile up the North until things are finalized." He smiled knowingly at Katara.

"I agree." Katara bowed again. "Have a good evening."

"You as well."

The two Water Tribe men strode out of the throne room and when Katara turned, she saw that only Zuko remained with her, his generals presumably dismissed by their commander. He jerked his head at the door and Katara nodded eagerly, walking side by side with him through the palace to their carriage.

"Where should we have dinner tonight?" he asked lightly.

Katara used her hip to bump him gently. "As if we aren't going to the Jasmine Dragon to see your uncle."

Zuko gave her one of his rare smiles and Katara felt a fluttering in her stomach that she told herself was simply due to hunger.

* * *

"Again," Zuko demanded, though his voice was strained.

Katara panted and swallowed roughly, sweat beading her face as she bent over, resting her hands on her thighs as she caught her breath. "You can't be serious," she said breathlessly.

Though he was on his hands and knees on the ground, Zuko merely shook his shaggy hair out of his eyes and insisted, "Again."

"No, Zuko," she said firmly. "We're exhausted."

"That's the whole point of this," he snapped. He rose to his feet, but Katara could see how his legs shook slightly as they held his weight. As he stood, his chest heaved, the pale skin glistening with his sweat. The pink sunburst scar on his chest looked slightly pinker as if blood rushed to the old wound while Zuko exerted himself. Katara made a mental note to ask him about that later.

Katara scoffed. "What's the point of trying to master these skills if they end up killing us anyway?" She scowled as she fiddled with her wrappings on her forearms as well as tightened the sash around her waist that kept her tunic closed.

The duo had been steadily training, helping the other hone the more difficult aspects of their bending. For Katara, she was struggling to hone in on her awareness of the water in Zuko's body so that she could Bloodbend without relying on the power of a full moon. Zuko had also been upping the ante by resisting her hold on his body and would actively Firebend at her to force Katara to react quickly and learn how to ease into Bloodbending as easily as she could shift phases of water. Of course, her onslaught of attacks meant that he had to find a way to quickly enter the state of mental clarify that would allow him to generate lightning.

They'd been training this way since they'd first gone to Yu Dao, sparring away from the campsite and prying eyes, though they both knew Toph likely figured out what they were up to. Needless to say, they had both been blown back by many failed attempts on their own part as well as each other's. With increased and diligent meditation, Katara had quickly been able to open her awareness of her element such that she could Bloodbend without the full moon, though she still struggled to maintain it during the day, finding more ease at night.

Zuko had managed to generate lightning a handful of times, though he had only been able to direct it safely twice so far. Luckily, both times were far away from Katara and the other times, he had merely thrown himself back with the force of the lightning. He grit his teeth, fighting back a groan at the sharp pain that traveled down his back as he settled from the latest blast, amplified by the fact that Katara had made sure to capture the lightning in ice in an effort to soften the explosion, being quick to release her water so the lightning didn't connect back to her. And being extremely quick in phasing the ice shrapnel into snow in time so that they wouldn't be impaled.

"It's not going to kill us," Zuko bit out.

Katara straightened and bent her sweat away from her forehead. " _Yet_."

"One more round."

Frowning, Katara refused to assume a defensive position. "Zuko."

"Katara," he retorted, mimicking her tone.

Glaring at the Firebender, Katara easily shifted her stance and pulled up water from the home's backyard water fountain and immediately sent a torrent of highly pressurized blasts of water at Zuko, learning the technique from watching him punch fire at her. In return, Zuko created a wall of flame that immediately turned her blasts into steam. Katara expanded the steam to lower his visibility and summoned a tendril of water, compressing it until it acted like a blade and rushed at Zuko. Zuko stayed still, listening to Katara's rapidly approaching footfalls to dodge out of the way and kick a large arc of fire at her. This forced Katara to loosen her water to act as a shield before quickly condensing the resultant steam back into water.

Before she could complete the water's transformation, Zuko grabbed one of her arms and twisted it behind her, appearing out of the steam like a spirit. She heard the ring of one of his broadswords and made a fist with her free hand, clenching it tightly, and heard the slight choke from somewhere above and behind her.

She kept still, feeling the cool metal of the blade against the overheated skin at her throat. Similarly, Katara could hear Zuko's throat working as she cut off the air supply by holding his lungs. Pain blossomed in her head from the intricacy of this kind of Bloodbending, much more invasive than merely holding his limbs hostage.

She rasped out, "Yield, Zuko."

Katara knew she could spread her control even further to his hands and make him yield, but her own pride drove her to make sure that he yielded on his own volition. Fighting the next wave of pain barreling through her head, she tightened her hold on him, purposefully applying more pressure. Zuko felt as though there was a komodo rhino sitting on his chest. After three attempts to get another breath and seeing his vision darken, Zuko threw his broadsword, the metal scraping as it skidded across the ground.

With a gasp, Katara removed her hold on Zuko's body and the two promptly fell onto the stone, winded and desperately trying to catch their breath. Katara hissed as her head pulsated and she closed her eyes against the bright sunlight shining down on them. She was half sprawled on top of Zuko since he had made sure to break her fall as they fell. It was easy for him to shift and curl her into his body, shielding her from the sun. He was gently rubbing his hand up and down her arm.

"That was…" he began. "New." His voice was still hoarse.

Her eyes still closed, Katara reached out for him, her hand feeling across his chest. Zuko took in another shaky breath as her fingers ghosted over his bare skin, but she continued until her hand rested above his heart. With a cursory outreach, she made sure that she didn't cause any damage.

Zuko grasped her hand with his own and kept it there. "I'm fine," he told her quietly. "You don't need to strain yourself more."

"I had to make sure."

Zuko tucked her closer to him and pressed his lips to her forehead, ignoring how she tried to protest and complain about how sweaty she was. "I'm fine," he told her again. "You did it."

Katara scoffed. "Only because you're so stubborn."

"Me?" he asked, amusement coloring his husky voice. He lifted his head to peer down at her, but she still had her head buried into his side, which amused Zuko as she was actively ignoring how sweaty _he_ was.

"It took you forever to yield," she groused.

"You could have made me," he mentioned.

"That wasn't the _point_. If I made you yield, then I wouldn't have won, not really," Katara huffed. She opened one eye to look up at him and Zuko grinned tiredly at the bright blue peeking out at him. "But I did it," she said in a voice that was both quiet and proud.

"You did," he affirmed.

Katara's cheeks warmed at the obvious pride in his tone. With a groan, she sat up and held her head in her hands. Zuko watched her, making sure she wasn't otherwise hurt. Slowly, he joined her in sitting up, grimacing at how his muscles protested the simple movement.

"We should get you out of the sun. Especially if you feel like another migraine is coming." He had realized from their previous training sessions that getting her somewhere cool and dark straight away best alleviated her post-Bloodbending pain.

Katara summoned a tendril of water from the fountain and brought her water-cloaked fingertips to her temples, sighing as the pressure in her head decreased. As soon as the pain was manageable, she turned to Zuko, but he shook his head. When she reached for him again, he scooted away.

Rolling her eyes, she reached again. "Stop acting like a little kid and just let me—"

"You're tired."

"That didn't stop you fifteen minutes ago when you goaded me into sparring you again."

Zuko smirked. "It's not my fault that you're so damn competitive— _hey_!"

Katara lunged and straddled him, her palms on his chest and forcing him down onto the stone again. The rough texture slightly grated against his bare back, but Zuko paid it no heed, focused instead on the Waterbender hovering over him. He watched as her hands glowed with her element and smoothed over his skin, the cool touch refreshing against the balminess of his body. Katara's gaze remained steady on her hands, guiding them over his torso, knowing exactly where his muscles stiffened from exhaustion. As soon as she touched them, they immediately relaxed and he felt the soreness lift from his body. Her full lower lip was caught in her teeth as she concentrated and Zuko reached up to gently pull it free, stroking the pad of his thumb over the soft skin.

Katara looked away from her healing to see the entranced gaze in Zuko's eyes as he watched her. His eyes were liquid gold and burned into her with their intensity. They darted down to focus on her lip, still underneath his thumb. She tentatively licked her lips, mostly because she found that her mouth had gone dry all of a sudden. She could taste the salt on his thumb and saw how Zuko's eyes darkened as her tongue brushed against his skin. Immediately, she lost her grip on her water and it splashed onto Zuko completely but he paid it no mind or otherwise didn't indicate that he noticed the water dripping off of him.

He leaned up as he pressed closer to her, solidifying his other hand's caress of her face. Katara had unknowingly lowered down and leaned closer to Zuko, her palms sliding up from his abdomen to skim over his chest and finally entangle in his disheveled hair. Doing so had caused her body to glide along his and Zuko hissed through clenched teeth at the sensation of her body brushing his so closely. As she lowered to meet him, her weight settled and she unintentionally pressed her hips against his, prompting Zuko to mimic her and wrap his fingers in her hair. Katara sighed softly, a quiet whimper passing through her lips, and that was the sound that did it.

If Zuko were to die with that tiny noise being the last thing he heard, he would die happy.

Despite her healing cooling off his skin, he felt like he was burning up again. He surged up to meet Katara fully and pressed his lips against hers, swallowing her gasp. He captured her mouth and gently nipped on her full bottom lip, teasing her with his tongue, before she let out a strangled moan in response. The sound jarred him and he pulled away, breathing heavily as he pressed his forehead against hers.

"I'm sorry," he gasped. "I shouldn't have—"

Katara pressed her body even closer and shook her head, her eyes still half-closed. "Shut up, Zuko," she murmured before kissing him again.

Zuko's apologies were muffled by Katara's lips, but he groaned when Katara's hips ground against his purposefully. He broke away, gasping harshly, and he threw his head back as a wave of pleasure shot through him. Undeterred, Katara continued, trailing her lips down the column of his throat. Allowing her instinct to take over, she gently scraped her teeth against the sensitive skin at the hollow of his throat, feeling his hands tighten on her hips as she did so. Zuko's hips bucked up and Katara moaned throatily, feeling him press directly against her core, the heat and heaviness of his hard length against her causing tension to coil deliciously in her body and she moved her hips more insistently against him.

"Katara," Zuko pleaded, the damp warmth of her permeating through their light clothing. Her movements stroked him with a delicious pressure and he fought the urge to buck his hips up again.

"It's okay," Katara assured him. She gripped his face and kissed him again. "It's okay," she repeated between kisses. "Zuko, please," she breathed. She adjusted herself so that she could spread her legs further and press herself against him even more, allowing herself to rub firmly against the thick heat beneath her, eyes fluttering closed as the tension continued to build inside her.

Zuko deepened the kiss, his hands kneading the skin of her hips, gripping her tunic and twisting the fabric. "Katara, I—" he panted.

"Fire Lord Zuko! Master Katara!" a voice called from inside the house.

The two pulled apart with rough gasps and their hearts pounding in their chests. Zuko was quick to lift them up from the ground with Katara still in his arms, stumbling to his feet before lowering Katara, stiffly disentangling her legs from around his hips. She rushed to smooth out her tunic and pull her hair over one shoulder, though the voluminous waves still looked wrecked from how Zuko twisted his fingers through them. Zuko looked her over and nearly came from how her lips looked swollen and red, her cheeks also bright with color. Katara's bright blue eyes were still dark and heavy lidded with lust. He forced himself to take a calming breath and willed his body to settle down. They heard someone begin to exit the house to enter the back garden and Katara quickly turned to face their visitor, still attempting to smooth out her rumpled tunic, ruined by Zuko's fingers gripping into the fabric. She made to step forward, but Zuko gripped her hips again and brought her back so that she stood slightly in front of him.

"What?"

"I'm still a little… compromised," Zuko said with a clipped tone. He raised his eyebrow and nodded at her pointedly.

Katara's eyes followed his gaze and widened as she saw the prominent bulge at the front of his pants. She immediately raised her eyes and her blush deepened, her stomach tightening at the sight of what she did to him.

"Right," she said, a bit dazed. She cleared her throat and offered, "Do you want me to help with that?"

Golden eyes bulging, Zuko sputtered, "I don't think that we have the time—"

"Oh Spirits, no, um... I meant, I could try Bloodbending..."

Zuko's heart slowed and he felt his cheeks heat. "Maybe when you have a bit more practice. Not that I don't trust you... I'm just partial to this part of my anatomy."

Katara blinked at him, torn between feeling insulted that he thought she couldn't do it and wanting to burst into laughter.

Zuko smiled at her and turned her around, clearing his throat. "Just give me a moment," he said lowly in her ear.

Katara fought her smile. "Just a moment? Is that all it takes?"

Zuko laughed lowly in her ear, leaving her with one last kiss to her temple before lifting his head to greet their guest.

"Uncle!" he exclaimed, seeing the familiar man come through the sliding doors that led to the back garden.

The older Firebender meandered through the wraparound porch before descending the stone steps that led into the garden and training area. He chucked to himself as he approached them. "I do hope I wasn't interrupting. I happened to be in the Upper Ring to visit one of my most loyal patrons who wanted afternoon tea in the comfort of their own home and thought I would drop by as I was in the area. I feel quite bad that you two are always the ones to make the trip to see me."

Katara smiled politely. "Iroh, it's not often I get to see you. While I'm in Ba Sing Se, I'm happy to make the trip to the Jasmine Dragon when I can."

"You are far too gracious, Katara. I've brought some of my best blends with me and thought that you might sample some of them over some lunch that I've brought as well. I promise that they don't contain any cactus extract," he joked.

With a deep breath to calm her still racing heart, Katara stepped forward, holding out a hand to take his offered elbow as they retreated back into the house. "Well in that case," she joked back. "I do apologize, though, I'm covered in sweat and dirt. Zuko and I just finished a sparring match."

Iroh looked over his shoulder. "Is that what was happening? I thought I heard some sounds of… exertion. Please, Katara, enlighten me on your sparring match with my nephew. I should hope that he hasn't faltered in his skills." He winked at Zuko, who slapped a palm to his face.

Katara giggled and Zuko felt some of his irritation melt away at the happy sound. "On the contrary, he always gives as good as he gets. As to be expected." She smirked over her shoulder.

Zuko rolled his eyes and met her gaze with a crooked smile.

For the next few weeks, Zuko's mind always ended up traveling to that sparring session and more importantly what happened afterwards. It had a way of sneaking up on him in the middle of summit meetings, even if his favorite Waterbender wasn't present at the large table in King Kuei's throne room. Mercifully, his Uncle Iroh never brought it up or teased him about it, though he would look at Zuko knowingly over a cup of tea with a secretive smile.

Their subsequent sparring sessions never quite reached the same level of sexual charge, but it was as if that moment allowed Katara to open the floodgates in terms of her offering more affection. She kept it contained to their borrowed home in the Upper Ring, but she would reach out to caress his face during their dinners at home or press her leg to his as they sat by side reviewing scrolls and paperwork for their summit meetings. And on the nights they were both free from any official dinners they were required to attend, Katara liked to curl up against him in front of the fireplace in the living room, using his chest as a pillow as they told the other about their day, shared childhood stories passed down to them by Iroh or Gran-Gran, or vented their frustrations and anxieties without judgment from the other.

She draped herself over him, intertwining arms and hands and legs. Zuko allowed himself to nuzzle the top of her head, her cheek, as they settled into the cushions in front of the fire, content with their closeness, his fingertips running over her warm skin as he held her. He knew that she felt as free as he did when they were alone in their cocoon. They both anxiously awaited the official end of the summit so that they could finally have a conversation about them without any other worries or distractions.

The night before the spring summit's final large council meeting, the duo were up late making final revisions and notes to the legislature they were to present—and hopefully have passed— regarding the use of Bloodbending. Katara was filled with nervous energy, but Zuko assured her that he would be by her side and that it didn't matter what the summit council decided in the end, as he would always support her.

Katara yawned and lifted her arms straight up, hearing her joints in her shoulder pop as she pulled on her fingertips, lengthening her spine after being hunched over for hours. She reached back and placed her hands on her lower back to arch and stretch her spine even more, groaning softly at the stiffness with which her body moved. Zuko raised his gaze from the parchment he was looking over, his tired eyes sharpening as they focused on how Katara's movements pushed out her chest. His golden eyes darkened and his hand stopped writing notes to watch the way Katara's loosened tunic had given way and parted, allowing a glimpse of how the tan skin of her neck flowed uninterrupted to her chest, her skin's deep tones contrasted by the white wrappings binding her and how her breasts threatened to spill over.

With another small sigh, Katara rolled her neck to ease the tension further and Zuko continued to watch the sinewy movements, gulping. She gave a small shake of her shoulders to loosen her muscles and Zuko's eyes immediately went to her cleavage again.

Katara returned to the scroll she was reading and paused to glance up at him, not hearing the familiar scratch of his quill. "Zuko?"

"Hm?"

"Are you alright?"

"Hm?"

"Zuko."

"Yes?"

Katara giggled. "Finally, a real word. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah... just... Katara, you're stunning."

Katara was taken aback and Zuko watched as her expression turned bashful, her cheeks pinking prettily.

"Thank you?" she finally responded, confusion still evident in her face.

Zuko's eyes snapped up to meet Katara's, the heat in his golden orbs immediately making itself known in Katara's core. She felt her mouth part as her jaw went slack and she belatedly realized that she was holding her breath. The atmosphere between them shifted and Katara likened it to the feeling in the air when Zuko was getting closer to fulfilling his goal to generate lightning during sparring practice. It was as if the air was charging up.

"Zuko?" she asked again quietly, her voice trembling. She also noticed that her own fingers were shaking as well.

Zuko almost groaned at the way Katara's eyes darkened and her eyes trailed to his lips. He rose suddenly, and he felt something tighten in his lower stomach as well as a familiar rush of blood as his body tensed. He exhaled forcefully and took a step back.

"I'm sorry," he said quickly.

"Zuko?" Katara repeated for the fourth time in as many minutes. She didn't know if she knew any other name at the moment. She licked her lips and saw his gaze darken even further.

Zuko warned, "Katara, I need to… if you don't mean to… I don't know if I can— I should go—"

Without warning, Katara stood and her slender fingers were working at the knot that kept her tunic closed. Air escaped from Zuko's lips in a rough hiss as the blue fabric parted completely to reveal her how her chest narrowed to her slender waist before flaring out to her hips, still covered by her leggings. His body thrummed in response, as if she were Bloodbending him, though she was exerting her control over his body in a new way.

"Is this what you—"

"Agni, _yes_ ," Zuko choked out. He fought to keep the neediness out of his voice, but Katara could hear it and it only heightened her own.

Katara's breasts heaved with each breath. "We shouldn't—" she began.

"We shouldn't." he agreed quickly with a frantic nodding of his head. Then, Zuko frowned in confusion. "We shouldn't?"

Katara smiled at Zuko's tone and the obvious distraction in his face. "What I mean is, we shouldn't until we know what _this_ is." She waved a hand between the two of them, her blue eyes looking over him hungrily.

His body wound tight, Zuko jerked his head once in concurrence. "Right."

"After Yu Dao, we said that we should discuss it. Rationally."

"That sounds familiar."

"I thought this conversation would happen after tomorrow. After the summit meeting. And that we'd both be fully clothed."

"So did I."

"Safe to say that plan has..."

"Gone to shit?" Zuko supplied.

Katara laughed and asked imploringly, "Is it too bold of me to say that you're as attracted to me as I am to you?"

Zuko swallowed harshly again and met her eyes, ignoring how her nipples hardened and strained against her wrappings. "Believe me, Katara, you've never been more right."

Despite the situation, Katara laughed again, actually finding some relief in the lightheartedness that broke through the tension between them. "I can tell," she murmured, her eyes roving over him appreciatively once more, settling on the apparent evidence between his legs.

"I thought about what you said…" she said softly.

"Oh?"

"I agree."

Zuko's brow furrowed in bemusement.

"We've spent the last few weeks fulfilling our own goals and commitments, both together and separate, and can come back to each other at the end of the day like usual. You don't impose your life or itinerary onto mine and you support me in my ventures. And a part of me knows that it'll be different once the spring summit ends and we're not living together anymore but... a bigger part of me knows that the important things that matter... that will always be there."

Katara pressed her lips together and took a deep breath. "I'm not ready to commit to anything permanent for now but I would like to start something new and see where it takes us. I don't want this to just be a one-time thing. I have a feeling…" she smiled up at him, "That I might like where this goes. And this is a choice that I'm making for myself."

Zuko's frown deepened. "I don't want anyone to think that I'm just using you," he revealed quietly.

Katara's eyes flashed with a determined glint. "Let them think what they want, Zuko. I know you're not."

"I don't want to become another regret for you," he confessed, his voice thin and shaky.

Katara's heart nearly broke. She reassured him, "You won't. You couldn't."

"Is this… are you sure?"

Chewing on her lip, Katara also wrung her fingers nervously as she spoke. "I guess what I'm asking is if _you're_ sure. There's much more at stake for you. I can't move to the Fire Nation to be with you. At least not now." She missed how Zuko's eyebrow raised infinitesimally at that, his lips quirking upwards for a second. She continued, "There's still so much that I want to do. It'll be difficult and there'll be long stretches of time where we won't see each other. And I'm sure your court will have something to say about it, if it gets out. What I'm asking is if you think it's worth it and if you'd be okay with this arrangement. For now."

His face softening, he said ardently, "Katara, you're more than worth it. We've been separated for the last five years and it doesn't change how I feel about you. Believe me, the distance has done _nothing_ to lessen how much I want you."

Katara let out a breath and offered him a relieved smile. "Good, I was hoping you'd say that."

"Agni, Katara, I've already traveled the world for you once. At least now, I can expect more frequent letters so that I'll know where you are," he joked.

Her smile turned alluring, her voice a purr. "I don't know. I think I like the idea of being chased by you."

There was a split second that Katara had before Zuko made his move. He leapt across the table they worked on and Katara squealed as she turned to run away but with Zuko's longer legs and faster reflexes, he quickly caught her around the waist, spinning her around and capturing her lips in a passionate kiss. Zuko's hands roved, pushing her tunic off of her shoulders completely, the light fabric falling to the floor in a quiet rustle. His fingers skimmed over the newly exposed expanse of tan skin, memorizing each divot and twist of her body with his fingertips. He pulled back slightly to scan her, his eyes hungry and possessive as he looked her over.

Katara leaned away shyly, but Zuko held firm and pulled her back. She muttered, "It's not as if you haven't seen this before. I've worn less while swimming."

Zuko smirked at her roguishly. "I miss those trips to Ember Island," he revealed teasingly.

He slid his hands up to her ribs and dared to swipe his thumbs directly over the outer edges of her breasts before savoring the full weight of them in his hands and brushing purposefully over her nipples, enjoying the gasp Katara let out as she did so. He groaned as well, his touch becoming more daring as he firmed his grip over her breasts, kneading the skin gently through her sarashi.

Immediately, his touch had ratcheted up the tension in Katara's body, causing her stomach to clench and her lower body to grow even hotter and wetter. Her fingers hovered at the hem of Zuko's shirt, dancing over the skin of his abdomen. She leaned up to kiss the underside of his jaw while slowly tugging and lifting the shirt. "Tit for tat, Zuko."

"Is that what we're calling it?" he teased, one corner of his mouth lifting in a dazed smile.

As soon as his shirt was gone, thrown to the floor, Katara skimmed her hands over the ivory skin, admiring the smooth firmness of his body. She relished in how her caramel-colored hands contrasted against him. She stepped closer, standing between his legs so that she could feel his muscular frame directly against hers as she kissed him. She dragged her fingers over his chest before lowering them over the muscles of his abdomen purposefully, teasingly tracing the v-shaped lines from either side of his hips that led to the sparse trail of dark hair below his navel.

"Spirits, your body is perfect," she murmured against his mouth.

Zuko grinned at her before he mimicked her motions and allowed his hands to skim her body before he brought one hand up from her butt to slide up her spine, catching at the end of her wrappings. He tugged at the end that was tucked in, immediately allowing the thick cotton to unravel around her, pooling loosely at her hips.

Katara felt the cooler air of the room hit her skin and she shivered involuntarily both from it and the knowledge that she was allowing Zuko to see her bare breasts for the first time. She moaned into his mouth as he deepened the kiss, coaxing her tongue to meet his.

Panting, he pulled back to look down at her. "Agni," he whispered. His eyes eagerly took in the full roundness of her breasts, their actual size hidden by the constricting nature of her sarashi. The smooth skin was tipped with dusky nipples that seemed to pebble further under his gaze. The flush that was appearing on her chest nearly matched the dusty rose. He met her eyes and held her gaze. "You're beautiful."

Katara fought to keep from instinctually covering herself and Zuko could feel how her hands tensed on his hips.

"Is this okay?" he asked breathlessly.

Katara nodded, lowering her eyes shyly. She took a deep breath and met his eyes again, admitting softly, "I'm a little nervous."

"If you don't want to, we can stop," he assured her. "Tell me and we'll stop whenever you're not comfortable."

"I've never…" Her rosy cheeks turned redder with embarrassment. "I've never been with anyone like this before."

Zuko kissed her softly to soothe her and as he pulled back, he confessed, "I also don't have much experience with this."

Katara raised an eyebrow at him dubiously. "Really?" When Zuko nodded his head, Katara pressed skeptically, "Even when you were with Mai?"

With an awkward grimace, Zuko admitted, "Mai and I have been together. But it wasn't really a frequent thing for us. I... never had the interest. I-I mean, I had the _interest_ but I was barely a teenager when I was exiled, and then a fugitive and then Fire Lord. So I guess I never really had the opportunity. I mean, Mai and I fooled around when I came home after Azula took Ba Sing Se. And then we got back together right after the war ended and I guess we... a couple of times... But then, I busied myself with work, Mai never talked to me about it, and our relationship took a step back."

His words came out in a rush and Zuko could feel his cheeks burn. "So... yeah, I've had sex but I'd still say I don't really have much experience. Have you— does this mean you and Aang never...?"

Katara's cheeks were equally red and she fought to keep eye contact with Zuko. "No, we haven't. But not for Aang's lack of trying. It just... never felt right and I never felt comfortable going further than making out and some heavy petting."

Zuko took a deep breath before looking into Katara's eyes intently. "You and I can learn together. Believe me, I want to take this step with you, but only if you're ready. If you're sure." A part of him filled with pride knowing that if she agreed, he would be her first. And if he had it his way, her only.

Katara's blue eyes met Zuko's golden ones and saw the lust, but moreso, she saw the concern and adoration that was recently coming to the surface and deepened their friendship with their extended time together. The affection was so deep that she began to wonder just how she had been so oblivious and marveled at how he had kept his feelings hidden from her for so long.

Zuko smiled gently at her. "I have nothing left to hide, Katara."

His unspoken declaration hung in the air between them. Zuko's last secret taking up the scant space between the couple. It wormed its way into Katara's consciousness and into her heart. Slightly trembling, she pressed her lips against his softly in tender acquiescence.

"Katara, for tonight, can I call you mine?" he asked quietly against her lips, almost scared.

Katara nodded, her eyes closing as his lips lowered again to capture hers in a deep, sensual kiss. Slowly, he lifted a hand to cup one of her breasts, kneading it before lightly pinching the hard peak, causing Katara to jolt and her knees to buckle from the sensation. It was as if his touch went directly to her core and she shivered as the ache between her legs increased. Zuko released his hold on her breast to catch her, their bodies pressed together from hips to chest. Katara mewled at the feeling of her sensitive nipples brushing against the heated planes of his body.

Zuko then ducked his head to tenderly kiss the valley between her breasts before mouthing at her right breast and taking the nipple between his lips, moaning at how she reactively gasped his name, spurring him to pull harder. She inhaled sharply and arched against his mouth, greedily seeking out more. Soon enough, she had one hand dragging his face back up while her other hand skimmed over the front of his pants, palming his length and reveling in the throaty groan escaping him.

"Zuko, I'm yours," she answered.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> time to add a little bit of _spice_

_Last Time..._

_His unspoken declaration hung in the air between them. Zuko's last secret taking up the scant space between the couple. It wormed its way into Katara's consciousness and into her heart. Slightly trembling, she pressed her lips against his softly in tender acquiescence._

_"Katara, for tonight, can I call you mine?" he asked quietly against her lips, almost scared._

_Katara nodded, her eyes closing as his lips lowered again to capture hers in a deep, sensual kiss. Slowly, he lifted a hand to cup one of her breasts, kneading it before lightly pinching the hard peak, causing Katara to jolt and her knees to buckle from the sensation. It was as if his touch went directly to her core and she shivered as the ache between her legs increased. Zuko released his hold on her breast to catch her, their bodies pressed together from hips to chest. Katara mewled at the feeling of her sensitive nipples brushing against the heated planes of his body._

_Zuko then ducked his head to tenderly kiss the valley between her breasts before mouthing at her right breast and taking the nipple between his lips, moaning at how she reactively gasped his name, spurring him to pull harder. She inhaled sharply and arched against his mouth, greedily seeking out more. Soon enough, she had one hand dragging his face back up while her other hand skimmed over the front of his pants, palming his length and reveling in the throaty groan escaping him._

_"Zuko, I'm yours," she answered._

* * *

Her words set Zuko's blood on fire. He dreamed of hearing those words fall from her lips countless times and now that it finally happened in real life, he was taken over by his need. As she continued to stroke him over his pants, he lost his focus on her breast, distractedly placing open-mouthed kisses on her chest before tucking his face into her neck and pressing his lips directly where he felt her pulse thrum.

Zuko's hands flew to her butt, squeezing the firm muscles before lifting her into his arms. The sudden movement caused Katara to yelp and her hands momentarily left him to steady herself as she gripped his shoulders tightly. She peered down at him and giggled as she was now at the perfect level for him to tease her. He began dragging his teeth over the meaty flesh of her breast again, soothing the bites tenderly with his tongue afterwards.

"No fair," Katara whined softly, causing him to chuckle lowly.

He watched, enraptured, as she tossed her hair back to shake her hair away from her face, the curled tips brushing against Zuko's hands. Her ankles crossed at his lower back and she scooted even closer to him, purposefully grinding against him, sighing happily at the weight of his thick length against her, her eyes fluttering closed as the need intensified in her lower belly.

Zuko brought his attention back to the slender column of her neck, moving aside the pendant of her mother's betrothal necklace carefully, and kissing the hollow of her throat, settling at the skin just below her ear, nipping and sucking, worrying the skin until it turned red and he was sure he would leave a mark. "So pretty," he murmured.

Katara hummed happily and turned her head to allow him greater access. He managed to make his way through the house, sometimes stumbling into a wall or corner, the two of them laughing as their hands and lips continued to explore, their Bloodbending proposal left forgotten in the other room as he carried her into his bedroom. Zuko carefully lowered her onto the bed and leaned over her, admiring how her brunette curls surrounded his pillow, forming a halo around her, her blue eyes a bright beacon in the rich brown of her skin and hair. He caressed her face, staring into the cerulean orbs, intense but half-lidded, her already full lips swollen from being thoroughly kissed.

"Katara, you're beautiful," he whispered reverently.

Katara smiled bashfully and pulled him down for another quick kiss, whispering against his lips, "Zuko, don't you know how frustrating it is to be half naked around a man like you and not have him touch you?" She grinned and teasingly nipped at his lower lip before her expression sobered and added, "Please, Zuko. I need you."

Her words shot straight to his cock and Zuko groaned. "I don't want to rush," he said, his voice strained.

She took his hand and guided it down her body, past her chest and past the smooth planes of her stomach to the waistband of her leggings. Without preamble, she pushed his hand beneath and Zuko could feel the edge of her wrappings there, the sheer heat of her skin through the thick cotton. "You're not rushing me," she assured him. "I want this. I want _you_."

Lowering down to kiss her again, Zuko growled, "Lift your hips."

Katara did as she was told and placed her feet flat on the bed to raise herself, allowing Zuko to drag the leggings down, admiring more of her bronzed skin as it was revealed to him. Her legs seemed endless. They were slender but strong, and she had some bruises from their sparring. He made sure to press his lips to those spots, gently nuzzling his face against the mottled skin in mild apology, savoring the feeling of Katara's fingers as they carded through his hair, her nails scraping against his scalp.

Zuko ran his palms up from her calves to her thighs, squeezing her hips reassuringly before he hooked his fingers into the top edge of her wrappings. He lifted his eyes to hers questioningly. Katara lifted herself up onto her elbows to nod and watch as he tugged on the strips, loosening the wrappings and disentangling them from her body. As he gazed upon her naked body, air whistled as it escaped from his lips, his golden eyes darkening as he stared at the apex of her thighs and the neatly trimmed curls that covered her most intimate area. He motioned to touch her but Katara scooted away a bit.

He looked up at her in worry that he was moving too quickly or that she wanted to stop but her lips were curved in an sultry smile as she shook her head. "Your turn, Zuko."

Zuko smirked at her and stepped off of the bed, standing at its edge. Without hesitation, he removed both his pants and underwear, kicking the fabric away from him before standing proudly before her. Katara sat up, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, leaving space for him to step towards her. She let her fingertips trail down from the center of his chest, past the sunburst scar he had gotten for saving her life, over the rippling muscles of his abdomen, and followed the sparse trail of hair that thickened as she got closer to where his legs met.

"All for me?" she teased, her lust emboldening her.

"Always for you."

She grasped his shaft decidedly in her hand, marveling at how hard he was, the thick flesh hot in her palm. It pulsed in her hold and Katara looked up to see how Zuko's face twisted, a strangled moan escaping from his lips. Encouraged by his reaction, she tightened her grip and began to stroke him tentatively, her fingertips tracing the veins that traveled from his base to the head. Zuko immediately bucked his hips at the feeling of her gripping him for the first time. His larger hand surrounded hers and he tightened her grip even further, demonstrating how he liked to be touched.

"Agni, Katara, that feels so good," he grit out, letting go of her once she had developed a steady rhythm. "Just a little faster," he ordered, his voice low and husky. He kept his hands fisted at his sides to let Katara explore as she wanted.

Katara quickened her pace, her other hand reaching out to gently cradle his heavy sac at the same time. Zuko's head fell backwards and his jaw hinged open in a throaty gasp, his golden headpiece clattering noisily to the ground and his dark strands falling messily to the tops of his shoulder blades. Katara watched him with amazement, marveling at how she was able to figuratively bring such a powerful man to his knees. Golden suns caught her eyes and she felt herself clench, more wetness gathering between her legs, just from the intensity in his gaze. She swiped her thumb over the head, rubbing in the bead of pre-cum, maintaining eye contact as Zuko's body tensed and shivered.

"Katara," he grunted. "I need— I won't… _fuck_ that feels amazing."

Katara grinned mischievously only to playfully pout when Zuko gently pulled her hand away from his throbbing shaft, once he began feeling the familiar tightening in his balls. He kissed her heatedly, capturing her face in his hands and leaning down, gently pushing her backwards. Eventually, they settled back onto the bed, with Zuko moving between her legs. He pressed his lips softly against hers once more before leaning back onto his knees. He looked to Katara questioningly and while she was nervous, Katara knew that she was safe with Zuko. With an exhale, she nodded and parted her legs further, watching Zuko's eyes hungrily take her in as he stared at her swollen folds, her curls and skin glistening with her wetness. He licked his lips and slowly slid a finger through her slit, groaning at how hot and slick she was. Katara whimpered and shifted her hips at his touch, the coil in her lower stomach tightening even further as she sought him out.

"Show me," he demanded huskily. "Show me how you want to be touched."

"Zuko," she pleaded.

"Show me, Katara."

Katara bit down on her lower lip, muffling her whimpers, and reached down a hand to join his, rubbing her clit and inhaling sharply. She couldn't stop watching how Zuko's eyes focused on her fingers as she spread her legs further. Zuko felt his shaft grow even harder than he thought possible at the sight before him, her slender fingers holding herself open as she focused her attention on the swollen bud. He then took over from Katara and after running his finger through her slit to coat it in her essence, he gently brushed her clit in gentle circles.

From his touch, Katara gasped, threw her head back, and arched her back, feeling warmth spread throughout her body knowing that Zuko was the one touching her. She could feel more slick dripping due to his touch and moaned as he became more confident with it. Zuko watched with fascination as Katara writhed beneath him, loving how responsive she was, her sounds fueling his ego and making him harder. He began to stroke himself slowly with his other hand.

"Beautiful," he told her affectionately, kissing her cheek.

Slowly, he entered Katara with one finger, his cock throbbing as he realized how tight she was, eager to feel the plush softness surrounding him soon. Zuko pumped his finger unhurriedly, using his thumb to keep brushing against the bundle of nerves above her entrance. Soon enough, Katara cried out and whined as her hips jerked against his hand. Katara called out his name throatily and arched up to meet his finger insistently, chasing after the building tension in her body.

"Two can play at that game, Zuko," she panted.

She sandwiched her free hand between them, bat his hand away from his shaft, and grasped his stiff length herself. After she felt a signaling twitch in her hand, she teased him by bringing her hand back to her mouth, sucking on the thumb that had rubbed at his sensitive head, tasting the saltiness of him.

The Firebender moaned her name and buried his face in her neck as he increased the pace of his finger. Zuko carefully introduced a second finger, stretching her as he scissored his fingers inside her. "We still have to finish the Bloodbending draft," he reminded her, just barely holding onto one final semblance of responsibility. "If you want to stop, now is the time."

"Don't you," she gasped, " _dare_ stop." Katara gripped his face with her free hand, forcing him to look at her, and added, panting, "We have plenty of time for that, Zuko. Right now, I need to feel you. All of you." Her demand was only slightly marred by the fact that her voice strained and breathless.

"What about—"

"There's a tea I can drink in the morning," she assured him, urgently rocking her hips against his fingers. "And I'm a Master Waterbender, Zuko. One that is literally begging for you to keep going." she reminded him, a bit of a growl to her voice.

"As you wish, Master Katara," he retorted, a smirk curving his lips, hiding the relief washing over him.

"Spirits," she cried out, her head lolling backwards at the sensation of being filled as he crooked his fingers inside of her. " _So_ good," she whimpered as she continued to grind her hips insistently against his hand, feeling her wetness increase, the sound of his fingers entering her body and their heavy breathing adding to their arousal.

The stretch had Katara gasping his name again and she kissed him hard, their teeth clacking before she broke off harshly to moan again as he rubbed his fingers against her front wall while firmly stroking her clit.

Katara gripped his forearm tightly and her lips parted in a silent gasp. Then the tension broke over her and she shuddered in his arms, her blue eyes rolling back as she came, feeling her body clench around his fingers, her back arching off of the bed. Zuko shook with her, eyes wide. He peppered her face with kisses, soothing her as she came down from her release, and guided her back onto the bed. He slowly pulled his fingers out, groaning lowly at how they glistened with her.

Cradling the back of her neck, Zuko whispered in her ear, "Look at the mess you made," making sure she watched him rub it onto his erection as he gripped himself and stroked slowly. Katara's eyes darkened into storms and her chest heaved as she focused on Zuko's movements.

Boldly, she took his hand from between his legs and brought the two fingers to her mouth, making sure to keep her blue eyes trained on his golden ones as she made a show of licking her remaining wetness from them.

"Fuck," he moaned, involuntarily gliding his cock against her slit, coating himself in more of her slick and nudging her clit with the mushroomed tip. The Waterbender whimpered around his fingers, spurring Zuko on. He pulled his hand from her mouth and settled himself squarely between her legs, so that Katara's hips completely cradled his. They locked eyes as he held himself in one hand and kept rubbing himself against her swollen folds. Katara parted her legs even more and wrapped her arms around him, gripping his back. She nipped lightly at the underside of his jaw.

"Zuko, I want you," she whispered. "Please make me yours."

"Katara, you have no idea how long I've dreamed and waited to hear you say that," he confessed, the need in her voice tearing at his self control. "Agni, it's better than I imagined."

Katara smiled softly and assured him, "I'm saying it. It's real. I'm ready."

Her voice broke off in a gasp as the thick head of him pushed into her. She winced slightly at the larger stretch as her body adjusted to Zuko's size. Zuko strained as he stopped, wanting to give her time to get used to him. She was trembling slightly and he made sure to kiss her lightly, comforting her and praising her softly.

"You feel so good, Katara. This is _paradise_. You're perfect... I definitely don't deserve this... fucking perfect," he murmured repeatedly against her skin. All the while, pleasure flooded his body as he felt her velvety walls surround him, all previous fantasies blown out of the water by the reality of actually being with Katara. He shuddered from the pleasure that flooded through him and held himself back from moving forward.

"Agni, Katara, you're beautiful. Everything I ever imagined... a _dream_ ," he hissed.

After a few deep breaths, Katara relaxed at his words and the obvious patience Zuko was exhibiting. A heavy warmth spread throughout her body. She nodded at him as the initial sting faded and she focused on the feeling of fullness and his touch on her instead.

"Zuko, go ahead," she told him, urging him to go deeper now that she had gotten used to it. She was able to savor the way his thickness slowly pushed into her, feeling every ridge of him as he pulled and pushed at her. She encouraged, " _Spirits_ , you feel amazing."

He continued to press into her, her tight walls welcoming him in until their hips were flush. Then, he closed his eyes to delight in the feeling of her soft heat, pulsing against him as he took up space. Katara keened at the sensation of Zuko taking up every available inch, making himself home inside her. Both of their hearts beat against their ribcages, their chests brushing as they breathed heavily together and they enjoyed the new closeness. She threw her head back once he had entered her completely, relishing the feeling of being whole with him inside her, his hip bones brushing against the back of her thighs.

"Are you ok?" he asked, effort in his voice. He couldn't help but continue to grind against her, his hips circling slightly, fighting the overwhelming urge to thrust into her as hard as he'd like. Instead he focused his attention on mouthing at her throat, worrying the skin until it turned red under his teeth and lips.

Katara pressed a hand against the scarred side of his face. "It's okay, Zuko. I'm fine. More than fine." She stared directly into his golden eyes, again finding solace in the adoration she saw in them. "Show me," she whispered. " _Please_."

That was all the motivation Zuko needed. Slowly, he pulled out until just the tip remained, his skin dragging against hers deliciously before sliding back in, continuing to roll his hips against hers languorously. Katara bit down on her lip as she looked between them to see how his cock shone with her wetness and rhythmically disappeared into her body, the pulsing in her core turning into a consistent throb, building as it did before. She lifted her legs and wrapped them around his hips, pressing her heels against his lower back.

"Harder," she begged, her voice breathy. "I won't break, Zuko."

Katara moaned loudly as he drove into her as she asked, her hands flexing against the muscles of his back as she tried to find purchase, the needy sound urging Zuko on. In turn, she snapped her hips against him, trying to meet him as she chased her release and Zuko hissed from her nails raking across his skin.

"Zuko, _yes_." She began to babble as he thrust into her harder. She praised, " _Oh,_ you're amazing."

"Katara, your body was made for me," he moaned back, pistoning his hips. Katara squeezed her inner muscles and tightened around him, causing Zuko to momentarily break his rhythm, letting out a low groan as he was stunned by the grip her walls had on him. He retaliated by driving into her, bottoming out completely with each thrust.

"You're perfect," he said again. "Gorgeous—" he kissed her roughly and planted his hands on either side of her head, giving himself more stability to enter her faster and deeper, just as she was asking. His thrusts turned more insistent as he continued to make room for himself inside her body.

"I'm so close," she whined, her hips arching up to meet him. "Zuko, I'm almost— _please_ , I need more." Katara now cried out as she approached her second peak, the pleasure reaching a boiling point.

Zuko groaned and leaned back as he grasped her legs, placing them over his shoulders to change the angle and continue to drive into her. His hands tightened around her hips with a bruising grip. Katara surprised herself by yelling loudly from the deeper penetration, his shaft now hitting a new spot inside of her that sent jolts of pleasure throughout her body, her increased slick easing his thrusts. She bit down on her lip to try and muffle herself, but Zuko pulled her lip free.

"I want to hear you," he growled.

Zuko's strained voice could barely be heard over the sound of their skin slapping together and Katara's gasps as she clung to him. He lowered his mouth to her ear, gently biting it before heatedly hissing, "I love the little sounds you make. The look on your face as you moan my name."

Katara's body tightened at his impassioned tone and words, crying out tightly, _"Oh spirits_ —"

"Not the spirits, _my_ name."

Katara's pupils were blown wide with desire as she stared into his eyes, panting, "Zuko!"

He ordered, "Come for me, I've got you, gorgeous. Show me how good I make you feel. Show me how you're mine."

Katara tipped over the edge, screaming out his name again as she felt her second orgasm crash over her.

Grabbing her hips and holding her still, Zuko thrilled at how Katara screamed his name, her back arching up while she scrambled to hold onto him. She seized up, her lithe frame shaking as her orgasm washed over her, Zuko's name falling from her lips over and over like a reverent chant.

Feeling a sudden surge of wetness and how she squeezed him with her inner walls, Zuko groaned deeply and fell forward, folding Katara nearly in half with the motion as her legs still rested on his shoulders. He kept thrusting into her, her walls pushing and pulling at him just as their owner pushed and pulled her element.

Zuko moaned her name against her skin, the sensation overwhelming him as her body's pulsating grip finally pushed him into his own climax.

_"Fuck,_ Katara!"

He sank his teeth into her damp skin at her shoulder and tightened his fingers to find a semblance of control. His hips jerked against hers persistently and his shaft twitched as he spilled within her. Katara reveled in the new feeling of his warmth inside of her, whimpering as she strained against her own body, her breasts skimming against his bare chest as she caught her breath. She tangled her hands in his hair and forced his mouth to hers, kissing him deeply, their tongues intertwining in an imitation of their bodies.

Once he was sure he could move again, Zuko broke away from her and mouthed even more at the bite mark on her neck with his lips and tongue, inwardly enjoying how he had thoroughly marked her. Leaning back, he gently disentangled her arms from him and lowered her legs from his shoulders, massaging them as he was sure they'd cramped up from being held up and spread open for so long. He gently pulled out of her, filling with satisfaction at how Katara mewled at the sensation, watching how she shivered.

Katara continued to bask in the afterglow, not bothering to move her limbs, her legs still parted, allowing Zuko to watch as his seed leaked out of her, making its way onto his sheets. He admired how her bronzed skin was rosy, swollen, and glistened from their joining. Although he was completely spent, he felt himself twitch at the sight of them pouring out from her. Unable to help himself, Zuko dipped his fingers into the thick spend that spilled out. Katara lazily opened her eyes to watch him, her abdomen tensing as he continued to play with her sensitive folds. She jerked and hummed at the sensation.

"Zuko," she half-giggled, half-moaned. "Hate to break it to you, but as much as I enjoyed feeling you finish in me, I'll have to bend that back out," she said tiredly. She lazily made a sweeping motion with her hand and Zuko watched as his cum spilled out of her again.

Zuko lifted his gaze to meet hers and offered a boyish grin that softened his face. He leaned down to kiss her inner thighs as he continued massaging them, enjoying her gasp as he bit down on the sensitive skin before he crawled up her body again to kiss her tenderly. "I know... but for now, I enjoy seeing us together," he admitted. Much as she did before, Zuko held his fingers between them before putting them in his mouth, closing his eyes. "I may enjoy tasting us together even more."

Katara's eyes darkened at the sight and his words. She murmured dazedly, "Spirits, that's hotter than I would have imagined."

He settled down at her side, pulling her closely into his arms, kissing her forehead tenderly. He stroked her cheek and asked in a hoarse voice, "Are you okay? How do you feel? I wasn't too rough, was I?"

Katara felt boneless and closed her eyes, turning her face to kiss his palm affectionately. "I feel more than okay. That was wonderful; _you're_ wonderful," she murmured tiredly. "You?"

"Perfect," he agreed. "You're amazing."

"High praise, coming from the Fire Lord," she told him sleepily, happily enjoying the reassuring warmth and weight of his body against hers. She brushed a hand against his chest and felt how his heart thrummed against it. Zuko rhythmically stroked her spine as he rolled, pulling her on top him and holding her close. She snuggled closer and relaxed as he dragged the sheets up to cover them.

"Sleep," he ordered. He stroked her hair and brushed it away from her face. "Thank you, Katara," he said so softly she wasn't sure she was supposed to hear it.

Pillowing her face on his chest, Katara fell asleep with his heartbeat in her ear, his arms around her body, and his lips against her forehead.

* * *

Katara gradually woke to the sensation of fingers dancing along her bare back, teasingly sliding down over the curve of her butt before coming back up her spine. As she stirred, the fingers became more insistent, another set gliding to where they rested on her ribs, waiting.

She hummed and blinked her eyes open to see Zuko staring down at her with an easy smile, his eyes crinkled with happiness. She leaned up to kiss him and greeted, "Good morning." Her voice was still rough with sleep and Zuko shivered at the husky sound.

"Good morning, beautiful," he responded, closing his eyes to lengthen the kiss.

Katara obliged, breaking away after a long moment to catch her breath. She lowered her gaze shyly. "So about last night..." Katara could feel Zuko's body stiffen and his face looked stricken when she lifted her eyes to his.

"Katara—"

"Zuko, relax. I have no regrets," she assured him quickly, pressing a light kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Last night was amazing and I wanted it. I just wanted to talk a bit more about what it might mean for us moving forward... if that's alright with you?"

The stress immediately left Zuko's body and he sighed and nodded, kissing the top of her head. "Of course. And last night... was better than I could have imagined. And believe me, I imagined."

They laughed together and Katara blushed as she lightly swat at his bare chest.

"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked again, concern softening his golden gaze.

"More than alright," she confirmed. She sighed and settled against him more comfortably. "So back to the matter at hand about how we plan on moving forward..."

Zuko smiled wistfully, his golden eyes sad. "Katara, I don't expect more than what you feel comfortable giving. And I would never want you to feel like you _have_ to meet any other expectations."

In a quiet voice, Katara asked, "And what if I want more than just last night?"

Fighting the smile that tugged at his lips, Zuko joked, "Am I really that good in bed?"

Katara threw her head back to laugh. With mock seriousness, she met his eyes, her own sparkling, and nodded somberly. "Why else would I ask?"

Zuko playfully growled at her and began to tickle her ribs, joining in Katara's laughter as she squirmed away, gasping for air as she now fought the incessant fits of laughter that bubbled out of her. Once they both settled down, Zuko stroked a hand through her hair as his eyes roved over her face hopefully.

"But tell me... _do_ you want more? I know what you said last night, but you were in the heat of the moment and you're allowed to change your mind."

Katara smiled at him softly, a bit of hope in her expression. "I think it's time that I let myself go after the things I want without worrying about my duties or other people's expectations of me. I... I meant it. I want to see where this goes. I want more than just your body, Zuko, I want _you_. The friendship, the intimacy, all of it."

"Thank Agni for that," Zuko said with relief, capturing her lips sensually, his heart pounding at her words.

"What have you done to me?" she asked, slightly breathless, once they had pulled apart. "You've turned me into some needy sex addict. Spirits, the way you were talking last night..."

"Was it too much?" he asked shyly, completely at odds with his behavior from the night before.

"No," she said adamantly. "It was..." Katara's lips twisted into a shy smile and her cheeks pinked, more than enough evidence to let Zuko know what she thought about it.

"I'm not sure what the Fire Nation thinks of the Water Tribe, but sex isn't quite a taboo topic among my people. We just prefer to keep things private and within the family unit. And growing up in my tiny village, everyone was practically family. The way the men talk around a fire pit can get rowdy and loud. So unless you're planning to tell others how I enjoy a little bit of dirty talk, then I'm more than alright. I may have been a virgin, but I don't know that I would call myself innocent. I know what I enjoy and that includes everything I asked for and what you did last night."

Zuko gaped at her, his mouth half-open as he processed what she said. "Very different from Fire Nation nobility," he finally said.

"Learning together, right?"

Zuko nodded. "Together."

Eventually, Zuko's husky laughter joined hers in the quiet of his bedroom. "Now that I've had you, I don't know how you expect me to go back to the Fire Nation without throwing you over my shoulder and locking you in my chambers." He ducked down to give her a quick peck on the lips. "If I wanted you before, now I'm insatiable."

He punctuated his point by lightly pressing his length against her hip while his fingers lowered and stroked her folds, finding that she was already wet.

Katara sighed and arched her body against his as she carded her fingers through his dark hair that curtained over them. "Maybe… I could be convinced to visit the Fire Nation more frequently."

Zuko's face fell at her suggestion. "I was teasing, Katara. Partly. I don't expect you to give up your desires to travel the world and help others. I know that's what you ultimately want to do and I could never take away your freedom."

"I really don't know what I did to deserve that kind of treatment."

"I'm the one who doesn't deserve you."

Katara rolled her eyes and stopped herself from retorting, knowing they'd be arguing all day long. Instead she commented airily, "I rather like the idea of being the Fire Lord's secret lover. Makes it seem so much naughtier than it actually is."

Zuko's other fingers danced along her side and pinched at her skin in light censure. He looked her in the eyes as he told her, "Katara, I wouldn't do this with just anyone. You mean too much to me for this to just be—"

Katara smiled sweetly at him and cut in with a chaste kiss. "I know," she whispered.

His heart leaping into his throat, Zuko broke out into a slightly goofy smile. "Really?"

Matching his grin, Katara nodded, just a bit shy. "I don't just hop into bed with anyone, either," she said smartly, earning a roguish smirk from Zuko for her sass.

She furrowed her brow for a moment and pressed her lips together in thought. "But if it's alright, could we keep it between us for now? After having such a public relationship with Aang… I think I want to keep you to myself for a little longer. Without the fanfare and attention. I want to be a little selfish. I want to be able to date you and get to know you in this way without the pressure of the whole world watching."

Zuko couldn't deny that he was a bit disappointed. He wanted to be able to let everyone know that Katara was his. But he could certainly understand where Katara was coming from, especially after hearing the false accusations the man from Yu Dao made about her before they left the former colony.

"For now."

"You don't think we're moving too fast, do you?"

With a laugh, he answered, "Katara, when have you ever known either of us to be someone who thinks things through?" He brushed his nose against hers affectionately. "We probably are," he said reluctantly. "But I think history's proven that it tends to work out alright for us in the long run. Now, I have to know. Are you sure you're not hurt or sore?"

Katara frowned in confusion and shook her head. "Maybe a little sore, but nothing I'm bothered by."

"Good." Zuko gave her a predatory grin and renewed his attention to his fingers by increasing the pressure he used to play with her, circling her clit. Then, he dipped his head to give her a deep kiss.

Katara huffed and playfully slapped at his chest before the sound broke into a throaty groan, wanting to stretch out this moment a little bit longer before they had to return to their responsibilities.

* * *

The duo made their way from their carriage to the Earth King's throne room, Katara tightly clutching the scrolls that contained their draft of proposed Bloodbending regulations in one hand. Zuko squeezed her free hand and offered a reassuring smile.

"It'll be okay," he promised her.

Before they reached the final set of doors, Katara leaned up to kiss him quickly and nodded at him. He adjusted the collar of her dress, making sure the high neck covered the love bites he had given her, but not before tenderly stroking the bruised skin. With one more squeeze, Zuko reluctantly let go of her hand and opened the door. They entered the throne room and pulled up shortly at the occupants. There was a much larger audience than what she was expecting from their usual summit members.

Katara blinked and felt her jaw drop as she scanned the room. "Sokka? _Dad_?"

As she spoke, the two familiar Water Tribe men approached them. Sokka came over with a wide grin and hugged Katara tightly before clapping a hand on Zuko's back enthusiastically. Hakoda embraced his daughter warmly and nodded at Zuko amiably over the top of her head.

"You didn't expect us to miss out on your first piece of legislature?" Sokka beamed. "There's no way I was gonna skip out on such a monumental moment for my little sister."

"But your honeymoon! Where's Suki?"

"She understands that I couldn't _not_ be here. The messenger hawks you and the other Water Tribe representatives have been sending kept me too curious. Besides, Ember Island is much closer to Ba Sing Se than the Southern Water Tribe. With eel hounds, I can be back there by tomorrow." Sokka's line of sight slid to Zuko. "Thank you, by the way. For letting us use your summer home."

Zuko nodded. "Someone ought to. Consider it me making up for not being able to make the wedding."

Katara raised her eyebrows at the two men's conversation. She already knew how generous Zuko was with his wedding gift since he wasn't able to attend the ceremony in the Southern Water Tribe. The kindness and generosity he showed those he considered his friends never failed to surprise her. Nor his humility.

She leaned in and said through her smile, "You never told me you lent them your summer home, too."

Clearing his throat, Zuko whispered back, "I missed their wedding. You'd think I'd let them go to Ember Island for their honeymoon _without_ offering the royal summer home?" He paused. "Why? Would that have changed anything?"

Katara rolled her eyes and teased, "Maybe I would've been a little more amenable sooner." She heard Zuko snort and glanced up at him. "No, it wouldn't have changed anything," she said earnestly. "But it's things like this that remind me to remind _you_ that you are a good man more often."

Sokka watched the two curiously. "What are you two whispering about? Do you guys have something special planned for the summit's review?"

"No," Zuko answered easily. "It's all on the scrolls. We were up all night."

Katara's eyes widened and she hoped to the spirits she wasn't blushing. "Working on the draft. We wanted to make sure that we thought of everything."

Hakoda nodded thoughtfully. "You and Fire Lord Zuko are renowned war heroes so your reputations already offer a substantial amount of trust and legitimacy to your proposal. And I know from firsthand experience that you two will stop at nothing to protect what is good and right."

Zuko blinked at the Water Tribe man's vote of confidence and ventured a rare smile of gratitude at the chieftain, feeling relieved when it was returned. "Thank you, Chief Hakoda. That means a lot from you."

The older man stroked his jaw thoughtfully. "After all, if you were willing to risk your life at sixteen to help my son rescue a sorry bag of bones like me, with _no_ plan, I can only imagine how successful you'd be working with my daughter to _create_ a plan," he added good-naturedly. Hakoda raised his arm in greeting. "Ah, there they are."

Katara frowned in confusion. "They? They who?"

She looked over her shoulder to see the summit's Northern Water Tribe representatives, Inuk and Tulok, along with three other Northern Water Tribe members. Two women and a young man stepped forward shyly, each clasping their hands in front of them and hinging at the waist in a short bow.

The young man spoke up, "Chief Hakoda, Master Katara, Fire Lord Zuko. Sokka."

Sokka made a face. "That's _Councilman_ Sokka, to you, Toriq."

The man Sokka addressed as Toriq was younger than Inuk and Tulok. He was taller than Sokka and broader in the shoulders. He had the usual square jaw of Water Tribe men and his blue eyes were a deep navy instead of the bright cerulean that Sokka and Katara had. His dark brown hair reached his chin and the top was tied back in the usual warrior wolf tail. The man smirked at Sokka and grinned widely.

"My apologies, Councilman," he replied smoothly with an amused smile, no hint of apology in his tone at all. "Since Master Katara's been present in Ba Sing Se throughout the duration of the summit these last few weeks, I wasn't sure of your position."

Sokka scoffed. "C'mon, man, it's my honeymoon."

"Toriq! It's been so long— I barely recognized you!" Katara exclaimed.

Toriq blushed and smiled sheepishly as he looked down at her. "It _has_ been a while."

Tulok snorted. "A while plus a lot of weightlifting to add on muscle and a very late growth spurt. We thought he'd never grow into his limbs."

" _Dad_!" Toriq hissed. "Stop talking about me like I'm a polar bear dog."

The group shared in light laughter at Toriq's expense. Zuko watched the exchange with curiosity. He wasn't blind to how Toriq would steal glances at Katara and so Zuko subtly shifted closer to Katara, their arms nearly brushing as they stood together.

He addressed the Water Tribe group, "Forgive me for interrupting," he said coolly, "but I'm intrigued by the larger audience. Katara and I weren't aware that you all would be coming to Ba Sing Se for the summit's end."

Sokka explained, "Well, like I was saying before, based on what you guys have written in your letters as well as the news that's spread, we thought that it would be best to bring the best healers in the world to witness the outcome. Yugoda sent these three in her stead since long travels are hard on her now. Once it passes—"

"If," Katara and Zuko chorused together.

"— they'll be here to know firsthand and assuming there's any time, Katara can coordinate how she plans on sharing and teaching it to the healers." He rolled his eyes at them. "Jeez, you guys, have some faith in yourselves."

"A little notice would've been appreciated, Sokka."

Sokka held up his hands. "Hey! It's called a _surprise_ for a reason. We thought you'd get nervous if you knew we were coming."

Katara began to shift her weight uneasily, her eyes darting around the throne room, which was filled with more people milling around than in the last few weeks. "I just want to get this over with. What are we waiting for?"

Zuko considered the crowd and suggested, "It's the last official meeting of the spring summit. I'm sure King Kuei wants as many representatives present as possible when we summarize the work over the last few weeks as well as finalize decisions. The selection of the United Republic Council is noteworthy to many and I wouldn't be surprised if some people have come to Ba Sing Se to lobby and campaign for a spot on the council. The only other person I can think we'd be waiting for is—"

"Aang!" Sokka yelled, waving eagerly at the young Airbender walking into the throne room. He made a show of covering his mouth with one hand and talking surreptitiously out of one corner of his mouth. "Katara, you two have talked, right?"

Katara glared at her older brother. "Oh for Spirits' sake, Sokka! Of course we have. Stop acting like it's such a big deal. People break up all the time. Aang and I are still friends and are mature enough to put aside personal feelings to focus on our responsibilities."

Sokka visibly relaxed. "Phew, good to hear. I was telling Suki I wouldn't be able to deal if it was awkward between you two."

Rolling her eyes, Katara drawled, "Yes, I can't imagine how terrible that would've been for _you_. I'm so glad I didn't inconvenience you with my personal life."

Hakoda chuckled and put a hand on each of his children's shoulders. "Alright, that's enough now. Since Aang's here, I'm sure we'll get started shortly."

"Chief Hakoda! Sokka! I wasn't expecting to see you two here." Aang greeted genially once he reached the growing group.

"Avatar Aang. I hope you've been well. I've been hearing of a lot of progress at the Eastern Air Temple."

"I have been, Chief Hakoda, thank you. It is nice to have a bit of a break, but it is very rewarding to see how my people's customs are being shared and revived." Aang's joy was palpable and as was the usual case with the Airbender, it spilled over to everyone around him. He turned to Zuko and Katara. "I'm excited to select the council for the United Republic of Nations. I was able to talk with Avatar Roku in the weeks that have passed since Yu Dao and we've come to an agreement regarding its creation."

Katara smiled. "I'm so glad," she told him sincerely, recalling how distraught he was at disappointing his old friend with the creation of the fifth nation. "I really think that it's the first great step of many more to come."

A gong reverberated and the rumbling of conversation stopped as King Kuei entered the room, Bosco at his side. The duo climbed the dais leading to the throne and once King Kuei was seated, he announced, "Thank you all for coming to Ba Sing Se. I'm happy to share that we've had another successful quarterly summit with even more work accomplished to continue our ongoing journey for peace and harmony between all nations. We have many great things to share and hope that you feel excited to spread the news at home so all of our citizens can remain informed and trust in our work. Now, let's get started."


	10. Chapter 10

_Last Time…_

_Hakoda chuckled and put a hand on each of his children's shoulders. "Alright, that's enough now. Since Aang's here, I'm sure we'll get started shortly."_

_"Chief Hakoda! Sokka! I wasn't expecting to see you two here." Aang greeted genially once he reached the growing group._

_"Avatar Aang. I hope you've been well. I've been hearing of a lot of progress at the Eastern Air Temple."_

_"I have been, Chief Hakoda, thank you. It is nice to have a bit of a break, but it is very rewarding to see how my people's customs are being shared and revived." Aang's joy was palpable and as was the usual case with the Airbender, it spilled over to everyone around him. He turned to Zuko and Katara. "I'm excited to select the council for the United Republic of Nations. I was able to talk with Avatar Roku in the weeks that have passed since Yu Dao and we've come to an agreement regarding its creation."_

_Katara smiled. "I'm so glad," she told him sincerely, recalling how distraught he was at disappointing his old friend with the creation of the fifth nation. "I really think that it's the first great step of many more to come."_

_A gong reverberated and the rumbling of conversation stopped as King Kuei entered the room, Bosco at his side. The duo climbed the dais leading to the throne and once King Kuei was seated, he announced, "Thank you all for coming to Ba Sing Se. I'm happy to share that we've had another successful quarterly summit with even more work accomplished to continue our ongoing journey for peace and harmony between all nations. We have many great things to share and hope that you feel excited to spread the news at home so all of our citizens can remain informed and trust in our work. Now, let's get started."_

* * *

Zuko and Katara took their usual seats at the summit table in front of King Kuei's throne. The rest of the audience members sat along the benches placed around the throne room's perimeter, watching eagerly with curious expressions. Katara took another deep breath and Zuko discreetly grasped her leg beneath the table, squeezing encouragingly and removing his hand before Katara could even react. She nodded to herself in acknowledgement of his support, though she could feel Zuko's surreptitious gaze on her.

King Kuei began, "This summit has been groundbreaking and I am quite proud of the continuing progress that has been made to heal and continue moving forward. There are two topics of importance on the agenda today that I'd like the council to focus on in particular. The first being a new set of legislature spearheaded by Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe with the help of Fire Lord Zuko. The two have continued to demonstrate the possibilities that can come to fruition when we work together and I look forward to see what they have prepared. I'll leave it to them to showcase their proposal. Our council will decide on its ruling immediately afterwards."

Katara nodded in acknowledgement and stood from the table. She began circling the table, speaking to the summit members, King Kuei, and the crowd surrounding them. "Thank you all for coming today. Fire Lord Zuko and I have worked together to create a new bill of legislature... as King Kuei just mentioned." She took a deep breath and continued, "What I am about to present is quite different from any kind of laws passed throughout this summit, or any previous. It is to ensure the safe teaching and regulation of a rare sub-skill of Waterbending known as Bloodbending."

As Katara spoke, Sokka and Aang exchanged a look. "Did you know that your sister was planning this?" Aang asked, his brow furrowed and concern evident in his grey eyes.

Sokka shook his head, his eyebrows raised. "No, I thought that she was going to announce a much different proposal."

Aang pursed his lips. "I don't understand how Katara could think that this would be a good idea!" he hissed. "Bloodbending is extremely dangerous for the Waterbender performing it and for whoever is put under its control. She should've—"

Sokka cut in, "Watch yourself, Aang, that's my sister you're talking about there. And you _know_ Katara. There's no way that she would decide to present this to the summit without plenty of failsafes and regulations in place to make sure that the ability couldn't be misused without dire consequences. Her _and_ Zuko." Sokka glanced at his little sister and then back at Aang. "Have a little faith in her, Aang."

The Airbender turned his attention back to Katara, his brow furrowed worriedly.

As soon as Katara finished speaking, rumbles echoed throughout the throne room as many considered and speculated what Bloodbending would be. Katara knew that the crowd would get riled up once she announced what she was proposing. She turned to Zuko, who stood from his seat. No sooner than his robes stopped billowing had the rumbles quieted. Katara filed away the irritation and envy that rose at how quickly he commanded attention and respect from the largely male crowd compared to her.

"I don't believe Master Katara was finished," he said coolly. He inclined his head at Katara as a signal to continue.

"It is an extremely difficult skill that requires an extraordinary amount of hard work and determination. For many years, I couldn't perform this skill unless it was the night of the full moon so that I could harness its power. It takes a lot out of the Waterbender performing it and can cause them harm if attempted improperly. I want to emphasize that not every Waterbender will be able to perform this skill and _should_ _not attempt it_ without proper training and guidance." Katara hesitated for a moment but continued, "Many of you are likely wondering why I am advocating for the teaching of such a dangerous skill. I believe that if properly taught and regulated, it can be extremely beneficial in helping save lives."

She turned to the crowd and asked, "How many of you have been on the ground during the last war? How many of you were helpless to save friends, comrades, loved ones?" She paused and waited to see several faces in the crowd shift in recognition. "Even a healer has limits. This isn't to say that Bloodbending can prevent loss absolutely, but in conjunction with healing, I believe that it can increase chances of survival."

"We're not at war!" an Earth Kingdom man yelled out. "Why do we still need this skill?" Several in the crowd nodded in agreement.

Katara smiled sadly. "There is still a lot to be done to accomplish long lasting peace and you all know as well as I do that there is still unrest that has to be settled. And while I am an optimist, I know that we are all human. History has taught us that there will always be a need for the Avatar. And there will always be a need to prepare. This is what this proposal is about— education and preparedness. With the hope that this knowledge should remain just that but with the reassurance that it is available to be shared and utilized for when it is needed." She turned and nodded at Zuko, who had been patiently waiting. "We agreed that we can talk until we're blue in the face but you wouldn't understand until you see it for yourselves. Fire Lord Zuko, if you don't mind."

Zuko unsheathed one of his broadswords and similarly to what he had done on their travels to Yu Dao, he held out his palm and cut deeply across his palm. His face remained impassive as he reflexively created a fist to staunch the bleeding. Several members of the crowd gasped.

"Obviously, this wound isn't life threatening," Zuko explained smoothly, "but we thought that this would demonstrate how Bloodbending can offer healers the chance to work before it's too late or otherwise keep the damage at bay. Imagine this is a wound to the chest, the head, or an otherwise fatal location."

Katara interjected, "The issue with an injury such as the one Fire Lord Zuko is describing is that our healing can't repair the body as fast as it is being damaged. With Bloodbending—" she walked over to Zuko and flexed a hand over his cut palm and everyone saw how the blood seized and pooled in his palm, no longer dripping through his fingers. "— we can buy some time."

Toriq and the other healers from the Northern Water Tribe sat up and leaned in to look closer at her technique as well as see her control over Zuko's blood.

With her other hand, she called water from her water skin at her back and gloved her hand in it, the signifying glow visible to everyone in the throne room. Katara then healed the cut, without a mark left on his skin, and cleaned away any blood. She released her hold on his blood and Zuko instinctively flexed his hand.

"Obviously, this is a small-scale demonstration, but hopefully, we've been able to illustrate the potential of teaching Bloodbending to our most talented healers." Her eyes turned towards Toriq and the two Northern Water Tribe women. "It follows much of the knowledge taught when we learned how to heal the body, it just uses a different catalyst than external water. Consider the healing water as our offense, doing the actual healing, while Bloodbending is a defensive tactic to prevent further harm or injury. By using both skills, we can better tend to the wounded and prevent losses or more permanent injury. It is especially helpful with internal injuries where we cannot rely on sight to help us."

Katara sighed and turned to the summit council and King Kuei. "Any questions?"

Tulok spoke, "While we appreciate Bloodbending's possibilities, how can we ensure fair and deserved teachings? In the wrong hands, this kind of technique would be disastrous. With the wrong intentions…"

"Bloodbending _would_ be disastrous. You're correct, Councilman Tulok. Believe me, I struggled for many years regarding its usage, but at the end of the day, I think Fire Lord Zuko and I decided that the good that could come of sharing this skill far outweighs the possible risks. That's also why we took such care in writing the legislature for it."

"Fire Lord Zuko, as a Firebender, why is it that you think you should have had such a large hand in this bill?"

Zuko's jaw clenched. "Councilman Tulok, I may be a Firebender and do not understand Waterbending with the same breadth or level of intricacy as Master Katara, but I do know politics and strategy and I also want to ensure that this ability is used only for good and shared with those who deserve to learn it."

Tulok smiled amiably. "That you do, Lord Zuko. And if you recall, I vouch wholeheartedly for Master Katara's knowledge of the art of Waterbending as well as her judgment towards the selection and subsequent teaching of this skill. I am merely voicing the concerns of our audience."

Zuko relaxed slightly and inclined his head apologetically at the Water Tribe man.

"And we're just supposed to allow the Water Tribes to have access to this special power?" the Earth Kingdom governor, Da-Song, interjected.

"We allow Fire Nation royalty to harness and teach the skill of lightning generation exclusively, although it is a lethal skill and was previously used often, to fatal effects. Master Bei Fong has created a new sub-skill of Earthbending and her efforts to teach Metalbending are lauded and celebrated. What makes Bloodbending different?" Zuko countered hotly.

Katara shared a look with Zuko before answering, "Part of the bill states that those who learn this skill must be willing to travel to wherever they may be needed. This is not meant to be a bolstering of the Water Tribes' forces without benefit for the other nations as well. I do not intend for Bloodbending to become a status signifier. It will only be taught to those who have earned the right through talent and hard work."

Tulok and Inuk shared a look. "You mean to send our people away? That stipulation was not previously discussed."

"It is one of the conditions that Fire Lord Zuko and I settled upon. A Bloodbending student must be able to do their training away from home for at least one stretch of time. It'll also be considered a pillar of morality for when deciding whether a Waterbender can learn Bloodbending. We mean for this to be in the interest of all citizens of all nations and require this of anyone who wants to learn it. If a Waterbender doesn't want to leave their home, I completely understand. But without that, I see no reason to unnecessarily share knowledge that we've all agreed should be carefully monitored. We also don't mean to send all Bloodbenders away from the North or South Poles. Again, we'll be finetuning the process, but we are flexible to see how changes need to be made if implemented."

Zuko added, "Master Katara and I hoped that this would better integrate people of different nations to encourage more diversity and cultural exchange as well. I've learned much about Water Tribe culture due to my work with Master Katara as well as Councilman Sokka and Chief Hakoda and of the Air Nomads from Avatar Aang. I like to think that this allows me to be better well-rounded as the leader of the Fire Nation."

Da-Song considered them. "I'm still not convinced that this skill is necessary… could it really bolster a patient's odds of survival significantly?"

Katara pressed her lips. "Obviously, we haven't tested it with more severe injuries but—"

"Why don't we then?" Zuko retorted.

Whipping around to glare at him, Katara demanded, "Fire Lord Zuko, what do you—"

"He's right! Why should we believe that this is even necessary?" a voice from the crowd called.

"It's a waste of resources and time," another interjected.

Katara's face hardened. "Look, unless you've been on the battlefield yourself and seen your fellow comrades fall around you, you wouldn't understand. I _know_ that Bloodbending is useful but I'm doing everyone the favor of acknowledging its possibility for danger because it's the right thing to do and asking instead of telling you that I'm moving forward with teaching it. If I were a man, would this be up for debate? Haven't I earned your respect after the last five years?"

The crowd grudgingly remained silent and Zuko could see how Katara's nostrils flared as she reined in her temper. Zuko spoke clearly as he faced the council. "If we could illustrate its usefulness right now for a severe injury, would you pass Master Katara's proposal? Would that be enough?"

A member of Zuko's inner council, General Jee, spoke up worriedly, "My Lord—"

Katara's glare faded immediately into a concerned frown. "Zuko—"

With a determined look, Zuko's golden eyes locked with Katara's blue ones before he stabbed his broadsword into his chest.

" _Zuko_!" Katara cried out. She ran to him and tried to catch him so he didn't hit the floor hard, but she crumpled under his weight. "Zuko, what in the world were you thinking?" she cried out.

Her hands moved quickly and deliberately. She was cradling Zuko's head in her lap after ensuring he wouldn't hit his head as he fell but was steadily moving him onto the ground so that he could lie flat. She felt people crowding around and without meaning to, she threw her hands up, bodies levitating back several feet, overwhelmed with the need to protect Zuko. With a steadying breath, she lowered everyone down lightly with her exhale and placed her hands back on Zuko's chest, on either side of where the blade still stuck. The crowd stood shell-shocked at both the Fire Lord's dramatic display as well as the Master Waterbender's first example of Bloodbending, reeling at the control she had exerted over them, many of them staring at down at their bodies in disbelief.

"Toriq!" Katara called.

Stunned, the male healer stumbled forward and joined Katara in the circle she created for herself and Zuko.

"Zuko?" she asked quietly, her voice thin. "Zuko, can you hear me?"

His face even paler than usual, Zuko's eyes found hers and while they were tight with what Katara could only imagine was excruciating pain, she found nothing but absolute trust in them.

"Don't say anything," she instructed him. "Please stay still." Katara could feel the sting in her eyes and took a shaky breath to stave off the tears. "You stubborn, impatient, stupid man," she hissed under her breath.

"Katara, what do you need me to do?" Toriq asked calmly. He had already gloved his hands in water and they were glowing.

"He likely cut into an artery and the blade is the only thing keeping him from bleeding out. As soon as I pull it out, I'm going to Bloodbend to constrict his blood flow and keep that from happening. I'll need you to focus on repairing the damage. It will feel strange as I'll be keeping the blood in stasis, but remember, you're using the water as a catalyst to encourage chi to the injury and you don't actually need Zuko's blood to be flowing. Be quick with it, though, it won't be good for his blood to be held that long. Take a deep breath and focus."

Toriq absorbed Katara's instructions, muttering under his breath, "Right… don't kill the Fire Lord. No pressure."

"Zuko, this will be painful. You might feel like you're going to pass out, but I want you to hold on as long as you can. If you can't... just make sure that you let me know, okay? J-just keep looking at me."

She looked to Toriq. "Tell me when you're ready."

Toriq held his hands over Zuko's chest, ready for when Katara would pull the blade out. He watched as Katara and the Fire Lord exchanged an intense look, their eyes passionately locked. Zuko grunted through grit teeth, clenched his jaw, and gave the smallest of nods before Katara turned to Toriq, waiting.

He nodded, "I'm ready, Katara."

With a yell, Katara pulled the broadsword out with one hand while her other hand quickly flexed over Zuko's body, which jerked once as she took control his blood, stalling the near-instant rush of blood to his wound. Throwing the blade to the side, Katara used both hands to keep Zuko's blood and his body still as Toriq began the healing process. Katara was able to extend her awareness and assess the damage— Zuko _had_ nicked an artery and likely would've bled out soon. She frowned and grit her teeth as she continued her Bloodbending, keeping close tabs on Toriq's healing at the same time.

He had improved immensely since the last time she had seen him and he was working quickly but carefully. As the wound was serious, Katara knew that she would be holding control over Zuko's body much longer than she ever had during their training sessions. She looked down to see his eyes trained on hers, the gold bright against the grayish pallor of his skin.

"You just had to go and make a scene," she joked weakly. "Once you're back to full health, I'm going to kick your ass. Once your uncle finds out about this, he's going to take a turn after me. Damn it, Zuko, you're _never_ doing anything this stupid again. Even if your intentions were in the right place."

Knowing that he had to conserve his energy and to not add strain to Katara's efforts, Zuko blinked at her in recognition. He knew by the slight softening in her eyes and the set of her mouth, that she understood his apology. But he did it for her and because he knew that she was right and deserved to be proven right. And he knew that he would never be in danger if Katara was around.

"Oh Zuko, you have too much faith in me," she whispered knowingly.

If he could've, Zuko would've smiled.

The entire throne room witnessed in tense silence, watching the two Waterbenders hold the life of the Fire Lord in their hands. Katara began to feel the stress the Bloodbending was having on her body. She had never held it this long. Pain bloomed in her head and her arms were stiff from not moving. Sweat beaded on her and Toriq's faces as they continued to Waterbend. She took a deep breath and scanned through the rest of his body. It couldn't be good that his blood was stagnant for this long. His other organs would be in danger of failing.

"Toriq, I'm going to have to circulate his blood for him. I'll do my best to avoid flooding the injury so you can still work, but if I don't, Zuko's dead anyway."

Toriq's forehead was dotted with sweat as he concentrated. "I've healed the deepest parts of the wound. The area should be able to handle a small amount of controlled blood flow."

"Are you sure? I can call one of the other healers over to help."

"No," Toriq shook his head. "It'll disrupt me. I can finish this, Katara."

Katara nodded and slowly began to release her hold on Zuko's body, allowing his blood to move carefully. She directed its path, careful to bottleneck the current heading towards his chest. As she did so, Zuko's skin pinked up lightly and he groaned lowly but clamped down on the sound as much as he could.

"I'm sorry," Katara said. She glanced at his face quickly to see him give her that soft stare again and her heart ached knowing how much pain he was in because once again, he nearly killed himself for her. She concentrated on regulating his blood flow to his vital organs, warily allowing blood into his chest as Toriq worked, careful not to overwhelm the healer.

"It's okay, Katara, I've healed the worst of it," Toriq assured her.

Katara reluctantly increased the flow through Zuko's chest, her arms moving in a disjointed circuit above Zuko's body. She could feel the stares of the entire room on them. She glanced up quickly and saw how Sokka had a grim look on his face. As soon as their eyes met, he nodded at her encouragingly. His voice cut through the tense silence confidently, "You can do this, Katara."

With another breath, Katara focused again on carefully directing the blood through Zuko's body, her arms circling above his body methodically and more smoothly than before.

Finally, Toriq sank back and fell away tiredly, his arms feeling like lead. "It's done," he gasped.

Katara dropped her constriction on Zuko's blood and allowed it flow freely once more, encouraging it a bit to resume its usual paths. Though she trusted Toriq, she couldn't help but make a cursory scan over Zuko with her own healing, making sure no other damage remained. Satisfied, she made one last effort to encourage revitalizing chi towards his chest to further speed up the healing process before she dropped her hands to press one to Zuko's scarred cheek affectionately, grateful for the color and warmth returning to his skin.

Zuko grimaced and let out a pained grunt as sensation completely returned to him. "Let's hope that wasn't in vain," he said lamely, though his voice was hoarse.

Katara shook her head, but continued to stare at him with a tender gaze. "You stubborn man," she said again. She skimmed her hand over his chest and nodded to herself. "It shouldn't tear open if you take a seat."

With a wry smirk, Zuko borrowed one of Aang's words and retorted, "Monkeyfeathers. I was really hoping for another scar."

"You've earned enough scars due to me," she retorted dryly. "Alright, we'll do this slowly." She wrapped an arm around the broad expanse of his back as much as she could.

"Katara, let me help." Sokka had rushed to enter their circle as soon as it was evident that Zuko was okay. He crouched down by Zuko's head to gingerly help him sit up. Once Zuko had caught his breath, he slung his arms around each of the Water Tribe siblings and allowed them to guide him to his seat at the table. Katara quickly siphoned clean water into a teacup for Zuko and brought it to his lips, crouching next to him.

Tulok stepped forward and helped his son up, clapping him on the back with a proud smile. He turned to the crowd. "What say you to Master Katara's proposal now? That was some of the most impressive bending I've seen in my lifetime. It kept Fire Lord Zuko from certain death. And as you can see, it is not the omniscient power we feared but requires collaboration and compassion."

Sokka raised an eyebrow at the Northern Water Tribe man, speaking out of the corner of his mouth to Katara and Zuko, "You'd almost think it's _his_ proposal with the way he's talking about it."

Katara rolled her eyes. "His son saved the Fire Lord. Of course he's going to gloat about it. Tulok's been on board with the plan. He just wanted to play devil's advocate."

She turned to Zuko, gently brushed stray strands of dark hair out of his face, and stroked the back of her slender fingers against his face as he continued to catch his breath. Zuko instinctively grasped her fingers in his and squeezed reassuringly. Then, she caught herself and froze, locking eyes with him, his lips also parted in shock. Together, they turned to Sokka who watched them with his cerulean eyes narrowed in confusion as he looked between the two, his thought process making itself evident in his expression. Katara's face set in a scowl and she purposefully placed her hand on Zuko's shoulder as her jaw set, waiting for her brother to say something.

"I think we're fine, Sokka, you can go back to where Dad is," she said coolly.

Sokka looked as though he might argue with her, but King Kuei stood and immediately captured the room's attention. Sokka pursed his lips but leaned in towards Katara and whispered, "You and I need to have a talk after this meeting." He cast a look in Zuko's direction before turning to sit next to Hakoda and Aang.

"Does the council require another moment or are we ready to vote?" King Kuei's voice cut through the throne room.

Tearing their eyes away from Sokka, Zuko and Katara faced the Earth King and nodded, along with the other members of the council.

"Those in favor, say 'aye'."

Katara blinked at the resounding _Aye_ that chorused around the table and she gasped in disbelief.

King Kuei looked at her from above his glasses and nodded. "Very well. Congratulations, Master Katara, your bill has been passed. We'll, of course, look over your written legislature to finetune the details, but the Bloodbending initiative is yours to helm. I believe I speak for all of us when I say that you are very much respected and, as we've just seen, the respect is more than deserved. I want to apologize on behalf of those who may make it seem otherwise. Your work and opinion is valued and valid here."

Not trusting herself to speak, Katara bowed to King Kuei and to the rest of the council before taking her seat at the council. She shared a shy smile with Zuko, who responded with a slight inclination of his head.

"You're still in trouble," she murmured.

Zuko smirked weakly. "If your brother doesn't kill me first."

Katara rolled her eyes and shot back, "Sokka won't kill you. You two are best friends."

"You're his little sister. You don't get it, Katara," Zuko insisted.

" _You_ don't get it. I may be his little sister, but I helped raise him. If he loves me, he won't hurt you. Because if he hurts you, then he hurts me. That's all there is to it."

His gold eyes widening, Zuko whipped his head to turn to her with a raised eyebrow but Katara kept quiet, a secretive smile tugging her lips.

"Next, the council and I would like to share the largest development that has come out of this quarter's summit. But I think it would be best announced by Avatar Aang, if he would like to do the honors." King Kuei announced.

The monk stood from his seat to address the council as well as the general audience in the throne room. "Thank you, King Kuei. Firstly, I'd like to congratulate Master Katara on her Blodbending proposal." Aang paused to smile at his two friends thinly. "And for saving Fire Lord Zuko's life," he added happily.

"Now, you may know of our initial plans regarding the Fire Nation colonies in the western Earth Kingdom, known as the Harmony Restoration Movement. But after visiting these colonies and talking to its citizens, many of whom have spent their entire lives here at this point, as well as seeing how many of the families are multicultural and blended, we decided that we couldn't go through with the movement."

Rumbles grew within the crowd but Aang continued, "This does not mean that the Fire Nation colonies will remain. But these communities will not be ceded to Earth Kingdom control, either. Representatives from each of the four nations took it upon themselves to go to Yu Dao, the colony with the largest dissent against the Harmony Restoration Movement. This included Fire Lord Zuko, Master Katara, Master Toph Bei Fong, war hero Haru acting in King Kuei's stead, and myself. We traveled to and stayed in Yu Dao to speak with the colonists and learn their side of the matter and saw for ourselves how the movement would tear apart their families. We decided that after a century of war, we couldn't break apart more families. That's not what we set out to accomplish."

He turned his grey eyes to Zuko, who cautiously rose to his feet, Katara's watchful gaze on him. "I called away my men and decided that it would also do no good to send the colonists to a land that they have never seen and never known. Instead, we've created is a fifth nation. The United Republic of Nations."

The rumbles re-emerged and Zuko held up a hand to silence the crowd.

"As this is a fifth country comprised of _all_ nations, we all agreed that it would be best for a council with representatives from all five nations serve to lead it. A government as diverse as its people. It is not a permanent council and seats will change on a regular basis to ensure balance and prevent possible corruption. Avatar Aang will, of course, represent the Air Nomads and growing Air Acolyte community. Morishita, mayor of Yu Dao, will be the first councilman representing the United Republic of Nations. This means that there are open positions for a representative for the Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom, and Water Tribes. That is why many of you have been invited to Ba Sing Se and this is what we'll be finalizing today."

Zuko continued, his voice hoarse but nevertheless commanding the room. "This is not a role to be taken lightly. You will have to relocate to Yu Dao for as long as you are on the council. This is not a system of colonies where governors can loftily keep tabs from afar— we expect you to be on the ground, witnessing how life is firsthand. The way the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation communities have integrated is amazing to behold firsthand. Yu Dao is a thriving city and Master Bei Fong has founded her school near the city for a reason. It's quickly growing to be a world leader in technology due to the swift advancement of metalworking because of the Earthbenders and Firebenders working together, which will only be enhanced by the Metalbending academy once Master Bei Fong completes training with her first class of students. Again, these are not _colonies_. They're the cities of a new _nation_. They have the same rights as you and me. And this young nation deserves leaders who will bring it to greatness."

Katara watched Zuko speak with a proud smile on her face, admiring how eloquently and passionately he spoke. When he sat down again, he quirked an eyebrow at her but Katara merely shook her head, her lips still curved. "Very nicely done, Fire Lord," she commented. She fought to hide her laugh when Zuko's cheeks pinked tellingly from her praise.

Aang surveyed the room, his grey eyes serious. "Are there any questions?" When no one spoke up, he asked, "Do we have any interested parties?"

For a long moment, there was complete silence in the large throne room and immediately, the council was disheartened at how ill received the news was. A beat passed and then the room rumbled as voices rose in a clamor to petition for a seat on the council.

Katara let out a relieved laugh and shared a look with Zuko and Aang, who both looked pleased with themselves. Katara closed her eyes and exhaled, releasing the tension she felt now that her two main projects from her tenure as Southern Water Tribe Ambassador were approved.

Zuko and Aang bowed to each other before Aang crouched down by Zuko's seat, the two men eagerly discussing next steps. Katara looked from them to the rest of the council and to the various delegates in the audience that were impatient to plead their case and lobby for a position on the United Republic Council. She frowned and considered how her role with the United Republic was effectively done. She thought back to the children in Yu Dao, her train of thought gaining speed.

As she continued to scan the crowd, she felt her resolve strengthen. Katara suddenly got to her feet and called out, "I would like to be considered as the first Water Tribe representative for the inaugural United Republic Council."

Sokka and Hakoda shared a glance. They had assumed that once her time acting as the interim Southern Water Tribe representative was up, she'd want to return to the Southern Water Tribe and remain there. They could hear the murmurs in the crowd and in response, Sokka quickly got to his feet to vouch for his sister.

"I second Master Katara's decision to represent the Water Tribes for the United Republic Council," he said assuredly.

"What do you think you're doing?" Zuko hissed next to Katara.

Katara set her jaw and continued to stare down the summit council, ignoring Zuko for the moment. She knew that he wasn't expecting this decision from her. And to be honest, she didn't expect it herself. But after being a part of the summit council as Sokka's temporary replacement and seeing how helpful she could be, she knew that she had found a purpose tied to her own identity and wanted to see this endeavor through to the end.

Evenly, Katara addressed the room. "I will never turn my back on people who need my help. Since I was fourteen years old, I have focused all of my energy and time towards helping create a world of peace and balance so that no one would ever experience the hurt and pain that _so_ many of us have had to suffer because of the war. And I would like to think that everything I've done during the war and have done since its end illustrates my dedication. I had to fight for the chance to learn combat Waterbending as a woman and ended up being Master Pakku's fastest-learning student. I trained the Avatar. I brought him back to life and protected him after Princess Azula took Ba Sing Se. I then helped Fire Lord Zuko reclaim his throne and defeat Princess Azula. My request is not me going above my station. I have earned the privilege to be considered. I ask that you do not consider me a woman who doesn't know her place in this world. Recognize that I am a woman who has helped _shape_ it."

King Kuei considered her and pat Bosco's head thoughtfully, smiling softly. He raised his eyebrows at the summit council and asked, "Well? What say you?"

Tulok and Inuk of the Northern Water Tribe stood and bowed to Katara, the younger grinning at her toothily. "The Northern Water Tribe supports Master Katara of the South to represent the Water Tribes in its entirety as the first Water Tribe representative of the United Republic Council. As she has so eloquently stated, this daughter of the tribes has done nothing but bring honor to it. We would be proud to have her represent us."

Kuei glanced at the Earth Kingdom governors who sat on the council. They nodded at him and he stood and announced, "The Earth Kingdom also supports Master Katara's nomination to the United Republic Council. She and the rest of the Avatar's group saved my life years ago when Ba Sing Se fell and I've seen firsthand what she can accomplish. I look forward to seeing what else can be done with her help."

Aang smiled at Katara widely. "Master Katara is the only reason I'm standing here today. Any gratitude I receive should always be directed towards her. I can't imagine anyone else that would be a better founding member of the United Republic Council. She has the support of the Avatar and Air Acolytes."

The Fire Nation generals turned to Zuko and each one inclined his head in approval. Zuko stood slowly, gripping onto the back of his chair tightly as he was still feeling weak, and addressed the council, "I've made my opinion of Master Katara clear to this council in the past few weeks. And Master Katara has already spoken eloquently enough on her own behalf. But I'll make it even clearer to the delegates and audience members that have come from all over the world. Master Katara is a woman who uses passion, empathy, a strong sense of self, and an innate sense of right and wrong to guide her way. She inspires hope in those who have already given up. To miss out on the chance to have her intellect, perspective, and heart on the inaugural council is foolish. The Fire Nation wholeheartedly supports her and anticipates the success that will come."

"In that case, I'd like to announce Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe as the Water Tribe representative of the first United Republic Council."


	11. Chapter 11

_Last Time..._

_Aang smiled at Katara widely. "Master Katara is the only reason I'm standing here today. Any gratitude I receive should always be directed towards her. I can't imagine anyone else that would be a better founding member of the United Republic Council. She has the support of the Avatar and Air Acolytes."_

_The Fire Nation generals turned to Zuko and each one inclined his head in approval. Zuko stood slowly, gripping onto the back of his chair tightly as he was still feeling weak, and addressed the council._

_"I've made my opinion of Master Katara clear to this council in the past few weeks. And Master Katara has already spoken eloquently enough on her own behalf. But I'll make it even clearer to the delegates and audience members that have come from all over the world. Master Katara is a woman who uses passion, empathy, a strong sense of self, hard work, and an innate sense of right and wrong to guide her way. She inspires hope in those who have already given up. To miss out on the chance to have her intellect, perspective, and heart on this council is foolish. The Fire Nation wholeheartedly supports her and anticipates the success that will come."_

_"In that case, I'd like to announce Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe as the Water Tribe representative of the first United Republic Council."_

* * *

Katara threw her head back and joined in on the raucous laughter that burst from their table in the Jasmine Dragon. Sokka was standing and raising a glass as a toast to her. As he laughed, liquid sloshed out of the shot glass. It was the latest of many that Iroh had supplied for the entire table once he had learned of the reason behind their rambunctious entrance into his previously calm restaurant.

"To Katara!" Sokka boomed. " _My_ sister is the inaugural Water Tribe representative of the first United Republic Council— the governing body of the new nation that _she_ helped to create. And she'll be starting her tenure as the world's first Blooodbending _master_. And did I mention that she accomplished all of this as interim Southern Water Tribe representative at her _first_ global summit meeting?"

Katara's cheeks pinked and she tugged at his sleeve. "Sokka, that's enough! The whole restaurant can hear you" she hissed, though she grinned at his obvious pride.

Rolling his eyes, Sokka scoffed, "That's the whole point."

"To Katara," Zuko's baritone voice cut across the table and he gave Katara a soft smile, just the slightest lift of the corners of his mouth.

Katara caught his eye and Zuko's eyes were molten gold, tender and sincere as he spoke. Immediately, she felt a pleasant warmth spread throughout her body from the affection in his expression. She beamed back at him.

Sokka watched the quick exchange and raised an eyebrow. His jaw shifted as though he was biting his tongue but just as swiftly, the expression seamlessly changed into a wide grin. Hakoda and Iroh cheered and the entire table held up their drink before gulping down the liquid. Katara leaned back against her seat and winced lightly at the slight burn as the liquid traveled through her body, settling into her belly and triggering a heat that reached her cheeks, turning them even rosier.

Hakoda's deep chuckle echoed behind her and Katara belatedly realized that the chieftain had left his seat as he wrapped his arms around his children's shoulders. "I am so proud of you, Katara. This is amazing news and I can't wait to see what happens next for you. Every time I think you kids have done it all, you go and prove me wrong and pull off something even bigger. It's an honor to be your father." His voice softened, "And… I know that your mother would be so proud of you two, as well."

"Oh, Dad…" Katara stood and threw her arms around Hakoda in a tight embrace, which Sokka quickly joined in on.

The Water Tribe family was stunned by a bright flash and blinked their eyes open as they stared dubiously at a young Earth Kingdom man standing before the table. He held a large box with a circular lens at the front that appeared to be connected to the end of what resembled an accordion. Also attached to the box was a round glass orb that seemed to be the source of the momentarily light. He smiled sheepishly at them.

"Um…?" Katara started.

Iroh approached them from his side of the table and clasped a hand over the Earth Kingdom man's shoulder, chuckling. "I apologize for startling you. He is the Jasmine Dragon's new official photographer. I thought that it would be nice for our patrons to have a memory of their time here in Ba Sing Se— the Jasmine Dragon, specifically— and have the chance to take home a photograph to commemorate their meal. It's _very_ new and I thought that this might make our quaint tea shop even more of a destination here in Ba Sing Se. Yang here happens to be one of the first photographers in the city and is generously honing his talent here in the shop. It is a shame that Avatar Aang couldn't stay for dinner. I'm sure he would have loved to see this new invention."

"You mean, you wish you had a photo op with the Avatar to display," Zuko grumbled.

Sokka's eyebrow arched and he held his chin thoughtfully as he examined the device. "So this is one of those new 'cameras' that I've been hearing about. I haven't been able to see one in person until now. They haven't made their way down to the South Pole yet. May I?"

He reached out his arms to Yang, who eagerly handed the machine over to Sokka's outstretched hands. "Feel free to give it a try!" he offered.

Hakoda allowed himself to be ushered towards his seat at the end of the table by Iroh, where the two men spoke in hushed tones over their goblets of liquor, their deep laughter carrying over. Katara looked between the two men in her family and sighed happily to herself before sitting back down. A pale hand appeared in her line of vision and held another shot glass beneath her nose. Katara looked down at it before grinning at the owner of the hand.

"Are you purposefully trying to get me drunk?" she teased.

Zuko smirked back as he took Sokka's vacant seat next to her. "It was a big day for you. You deserve to celebrate," he said simply.

"Right," she said dubiously. "I don't see yours," she pointed out.

His voice was all feigned innocence. "Is it wise that I be drinking so soon after such a severe injury?" He added, "And I've already taken several shots in your honor."

Katara rolled her eyes at the snarkiness in his tone and snapped, "Was it wise that you stab yourself in the chest?"

"Got your Bloodbending proposal passed, didn't I?" Zuko watched as Katara's face sobered. Guilt filled his chest as her full lips turned down into a frown and her brow furrowed.

"Your life is _not_ worth a legislature proposal. Even if it's _my_ proposal."

"I was joking, Katara." His face twisted. "As usual, it didn't land. I'm sorry I scared you and made you worry. But I knew you'd be able to heal me."

Katara knew that this is the most he'd apologize for and sighed again. "You have too much faith in me. I expect you'll just be sore for the next few days. A few healing sessions before you head back to the Fire Nation and it'll barely scar." At Zuko's chastised expression, she added, "Besides, there's nothing to gain by getting me drunk tonight. In case you forgot, Sokka's staying with us tonight."

His smirk resurfacing, Zuko responded smoothly, "You and I both know that I don't need to get you drunk if I had those intentions."

Gasping lightly at the boldness of Zuko's words, Katara felt heat pool in her abdomen, this time from Zuko instead of the alcohol. They held the other's gaze before Zuko looked pointedly at the shot glass. Then, Katara raised her glass to him and drank the liquid. Again, Katara pursed her lips and winced. Zuko fought to smile at the image, finding it adorable.

Zuko leaned in close to her, their shoulders brushing. He peered down at her with raised eyebrows. "You'd think after weeks of drinking with me and the other delegates, you'd have built up a stronger tolerance."

"Oh hush," Katara retorted good-naturedly, a gentle smile curving her lips as she looked up at him through her lashes. "I'll let you know that I _have_ built up a tolerance, but that doesn't mean that the stuff tastes any better."

Zuko grinned back at her in amusement.

A large flash blinded Katara and Zuko and the two jumped away from each other and blinked rapidly to remove the spots dancing in their vision. Katara glared at Sokka as the Water Tribe man popped out from behind the camera. Sokka handed the camera to its owner, clapping the Earth Kingdom man on the back heartily.

"That's amazing. I'm curious about the lens' refraction and how it captures the image… Yang, please be sure to send tonight's photos to Fire Lord Zuko and Master Katara's temporary lodgings before they leave Ba Sing Se. Several copies of each photo, if possible. I'd love to get my hands on these prints. Maybe even convince my wife to get a camera for ourselves if the prints turn out well. How long does the printing process take?"

Keen to have someone to talk about photography with, Yang said excitedly, "Usually no longer than a few days, but if I work fast, I can have your family's prints ready by tomorrow once we close the restaurant. More than enough time to ensure that they'll be ready before the closing ceremonies."

"Great! There's no need to rush. I'm leaving tomorrow since I won't be staying for the official closing ceremonies, but I'm sure my sister will be able to send them to me via messenger hawk."

Yang nodded enthusiastically before moving to the other tables in the Jasmine Dragon to take photos of more patrons. Sokka then turned towards Katara and Zuko, who both raised an eyebrow at him. He dragged a chair between the two, forcing them to shuffle their chairs apart and swinging his around so that he could straddle it, his arms resting on the back of the chair. His head swiveled between them.

Sokka turned to Katara and declared, "So, as you know, I'm taking it as the older brother's prerogative to crash at your place tonight. It's your night, Katara, and I don't want to ruin anything, but—"

"Of course there's a 'but'," Katara grumbled. "Sokka, do I have to remind you that I offered to have you stay with us?"

"—I don't want you to be making any mistakes you might regret."

"Sokka! I'm not— I'm not a little girl! And I don't need you looking over my shoulder." Katara snapped.

"You're always going to be my little sister and I'm _always_ going to be looking out for you. Even when you're eighty-nine, white-haired, and wrinkly." Sokka's eyes slid over towards Zuko. "We don't keep secrets from each other."

Katara also turned towards Zuko and saw that Zuko may have looked a bit paler than usual, though she could also chalk that up to his recent life threatening injury. But there was a tightness in his eyes that she didn't like to see. She relented, "Fine, but believe me when I tell you that there's nothing to worry about."

"Alright, alright. Can we just head back to the house and discuss this privately?"

"Fine," Katara grit out again.

"Fine," Sokka huffed back. He groaned and stood up from the seat, stretching his arms above his head. "First, we've gotta say goodbye to Dad. He's going to head north to the Northern Water Tribe with Tulok and Inuk to share the official news with Chief Arnook. Says it's a political courtesy that he go and inform him since he's Chief of the Southern Water Tribe."

"Tulok and Inuk are leaving already? But the summit still hasn't officially ended."

"Apparently, they trust you to represent both tribes at the closing ceremonies now. Told me to tell you before we headed to dinner."

"They do?" Katara asked incredulously. "That's… amazing. Even though it would've been better if they took the time to tell me themselves."

"Screw 'em." Sokka grinned at Katara and ducked down quickly to ruffle the crown of her head. "Proud of you, sis," he murmured.

Zuko watched the exchange between the Water Tribe siblings with curiosity and a bit of envy. He met Katara's gaze and offered a weak smile, jerking his head to gesture at the end of the table where Hakoda and Iroh were rising from their seats. "Actually, I think your father is heading out now."

At his words, the siblings turned towards Hakoda, who was shaking Iroh's hand genially before turning towards his children with a sad smile. "Alright, you two. Get over here and give this old bag of bones one last hug."

Immediately, Katara and Sokka rushed towards their father and the trio held each other tightly.

"It was good to see you, Dad," Katara said quietly. "I missed you so much."

"The whole tribe is extremely proud of you, Katara. I thank the spirits every day for you and your brother. I'm sure the Northern Water Tribe will be excited to hear of what you've accomplished as well. I'll visit you on my way back to the Southern Water Tribe. I'd like to see what you do in Yu Dao."

Iroh cleared his throat, prompting the family to pull apart. He grinned and held up a box, opening the lid to reveal several sachets of tea. "A special blend to help with the aches you were mentioning, Chief Hakoda."

"Thank you, General Iroh." The chief accepted the box courteously and inclined his head in a slight bow.

Katara frowned. "Are you hurt? Why didn't you tell me? I could heal you."

"Nothing more than my age rearing its ugly head," Hakoda assured her. He gently pressed a kiss to her forehead to alleviate her concern. "I've got an early morning so I'll be heading over to Councilman Tulok and Inuk's lodgings so I can leave with them."

"Chief Hakoda, I know for a fact that Katara's missed having her family in one house. There's plenty of room at our lodgings and I invite you to stay with us," Zuko offered.

"Thank you for the invitation, Fire Lord Zuko. But I really do have an early day of travel and think it'd be easier if I stayed with the delegates returning to the North Pole so that we leave on time. Besides, you three can catch up and drink to your heart's content without worrying that dear old dad is eavesdropping." Hakoda winked and grinned at them knowingly.

"Stay safe," Katara told him.

Hakoda laughed. "Shouldn't I be telling you that?" He gave his children another hug before he turned to Zuko, who had risen to his feet.

Zuko nodded at the chieftain. "It's always great to see you, Chief Hakoda."

"You as well, Fire Lord Zuko. It would be nice to see you at the South Pole more often, but I understand you're busy. Thank you again for taking care of my daughter throughout the summit. My children are very lucky to have a friend like you."

Zuko's cheeks pinked and he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I believe I'm the lucky one, Chief Hakoda. Katara didn't need me as much as I needed her."

"The spirits have smiled on the three of you then." Hakoda gripped Zuko's hand and clapped him on the back heartily before leaving the Jasmine Dragon.

With a nod in Iroh's direction, Zuko bid his uncle goodnight as well. "Uncle, I'll be sure to visit you again before returning to the Fire Nation."

"You better. As Master Katara foretold, I'll need to kick your butt for pulling a stupid stunt such as the one you did today." Iroh gave his nephew a toothy smile and Zuko fought the urge to slap his palm to his face, feeling the embarrassed flush on his face.

The retired general clasped one of Katara's hands in both of his. "Congratulations again, Master Katara. You've accomplished several wondrous things this summit. The world is in good hands with you leading its healing."

"Thank you, Iroh. And thank you for hosting my family for dinner tonight. You didn't have to," she said graciously.

"Oh, but we wanted to, didn't we, Zuko?"

Zuko tensed and narrowed his eyes at his uncle but jerked his head tersely.

"I won't keep you. I know you must be tired after such an exciting day." Iroh smiled placidly at the three young adults.

The trio climbed into their carriage that wordlessly took them from the Middle Ring to Zuko and Katara's temporary home in the Upper Ring. After several minutes of silence, Zuko closed his eyes and sighed as he felt Sokka's glare on him. He pinched the bridge of his nose and pointedly glowered back at him.

"Just say it, Sokka," Zuko deadpanned. "You've been biting your tongue the whole night."

Sokka crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at the Firebender. "I think I'd prefer to wait until we get to the house."

Katara sighed, "Well the moment's arrived." She was the first to exit the carriage as soon as it pulled up.

Sokka scoffed and followed her out and up the stairs leading into the house. "Katara, you can't run away from this," he called.

"I'm _not_!" she shot back. "Oh for spirits' sake! I'm being civil and an adult about this. I wish you would extend me the same courtesy." Katara's brow furrowed as she busied herself in the kitchen, just barely containing the urge to slam the teacups onto the kitchen table. After a beat she paused and yelled, "What kind of tea do you want?"

Sokka made a face but grudgingly yelled back, "Oolong! But only if you have it. Thanks."

Zuko blinked at them, groaned, and followed the arguing siblings into the house. He shrugged off his outer robes, tossing them onto a bench in the living room and lighting the fireplace before heading to the kitchen. He stood next to Katara, dusting his hand on the small of her back in a small gesture of comfort, of solidarity, before taking the kettle from her, heating it with his Firebending.

"Thank you, Zuko," she said in a small voice.

"Go sit with your brother," he said quietly. "I'll take care of this, okay?"

Katara turned and lifted her face to him. With a gentle gaze, she said, "You always do."

She squeezed his wrist tightly before turning to sit at the table with Sokka, matching the glare he sent her way.

"It's spring," Sokka noted, jerking his head at the fireplace.

"Zuko knows that having a fire relaxes me."

Sokka leaned back in the seat, cocking an eyebrow and folding his arms over his broad chest. His lips were pursed and he waited silently as Zuko poured their tea and joined them at the table. Zuko swallowed nervously and held his hands out, his palms facing up suppliantly.

"You wanted to talk, Sokka. Talk."

Sokka huffed and blurt out, "What the hell is going on between you two? I show up and… you're both completely different people. This Katara is not the Katara I saw before my honeymoon and Zuko you're…" he gestured wildly with his hands. "And you're making goo goo eyes at each other in the middle of a summit meeting. Do you know what that looks like? My sister is looking at _Zuko_ like she— like she, I don't know. I just want to know!"

His face softened and he turned to Katara imploringly. "Not to say that you being a little different than I remember is a bad thing. Actually, you seem more like yourself than you have been in a long time. And I'm happy about it, really. My only concern is making sure you're not going to get hurt."

Zuko shook his head and started, "I wouldn't—"

Sokka pointed out to his sister, "And you don't exactly have the best taste in men."

"Excuse me?" she demanded, a brunette brow arching.

"I mean Aang's great, but Jet wasn't exactly the pick of the litter. You refused to listen to my suspicions about him so excuse me if I don't trust your choice in men."

"Are you really making this about my judgment?" Katara snapped. "Sokka, we were kids back then. Jet was my first crush. I don't have to have your approval regarding who I'm seeing. And that's besides the point. Zuko's not Jet! Why—"

"It's different, Katara. Now this guy isn't just trying to be your friend. He's trying to… well, I don't know what he's trying! And I don't want to think about it either— _agh_!" Sokka pushed away from the table and threw his hands in the air. "After dating the savior of the world, do you really think that you can just rebound onto the next guy?"

Zuko's expression turned stricken and he stared at Sokka with wide eyes. "What did you call me?" he asked, his voice dangerously quiet.

Katara rose from the table, her face twisted in anger. "He's not a rebound! And how _dare_ you try and diminish him in that way! This is Zuko we're talking about, not just some random guy I met on the street. He is brave and selfless and good. I can't even believe that I have to defend this to you. This is crazy!"

"So what, you two are dating? You're telling me that you two are together? In a relationship?" he yelled back incredulously.

"Why does that sound so ridiculous to you?"

Sokka pulled up short and it became to obvious to the couple that he wasn't expecting Katara to admit it so quickly. He stuttered as he bit out, "Because it's Zuko!"

Katara's eyes flashed and she felt Zuko stiffen next to her. "So you've said. Multiple times. I'm not seeing your point. Zuko is one of my best friends and he is one of yours. Even Dad said so at dinner. It's baffling to me how you can talk about him this way so easily."

"Easy! Dad didn't see what I see and it's my prerogative as your big brother to protect you. That takes priority over everything else! Where the hell did this even come from anyway? How do I know that Zuko isn't just taking advantage of you? Katara, you're smart and beautiful and powerful and—"

"That's right," Zuko cut in. "Katara is all of that as well as a grown woman who is free to make her own choices. I didn't seduce her or trick her into being with me and honestly, I don't think that's even possible. Believe me, I tried to keep my feelings for her a secret but... she forced my hand. Or maybe I let her because I was tired of hiding my feelings." Zuko huffed a small, humorless laugh. "And now that she knows, I can't just pretend that my feelings don't exist. That's not fair to either of us. You don't think that I realize I'm not good enough for her? Sokka, I _know_. I know that she deserves so much more than me."

Zuko opened his eyes and they immediately darted to Katara's. She stared up at him with wide eyes and her lips slightly parted in shock as she shook her head in defiance of his claims. Zuko had to force his gaze away to meet Sokka's eyes.

Earnestly, he admitted, "You must realize that I would never do anything to intentionally hurt Katara. And I would rather die than see her be hurt." He reminded Sokka, "I almost have," clutching at his chest where his lightning scar lay beneath his shirt.

"Sokka, I respect Katara. First and foremost, she's one of my best friends. I want her to live her life fully and completely, even if that means it's not with me. Why else would I have kept this to myself for years? I've told her that. That _this_ ," he gestured between himself and Katara, "wasn't a good idea?— I've told her that, too, but you know how stubborn she is."

Sokka barked out a laugh and Zuko couldn't help but crack a crooked grin at that. Relief took off some of the weight in his chest.

"I am the luckiest son of a bitch to have her reciprocate even an ounce of my feelings for her. And I thought you would've realized that I care about the both of you so much as friends before anything else. That's why I've kept this a secret so long. From everyone, even Katara."

"Of course," Sokka eventually agreed, considering the Fire Nation man warily. He nodded to himself and said softly, "Zuko, I _am_ your friend. But Katara's my sister. It's my responsibility to keep her safe, even if she can handle herself. Even though she can probably do a better job of it than I can. I never want her to feel like she doesn't have me in her corner."

Looking at Katara, he said, voice quiet and unsure, "We take care of each other. We always have. And this is your heart we're talking about, Katara."

Katara's expression lost its edge. "Sokka, I need you to trust me to be able to live my own life. Even if I get hurt, it doesn't mean that you're a bad brother. That's just how life goes."

Sokka scrubbed a hand over his face tiredly. "I'm sorry, Zuko. I know you're a good guy. I didn't mean to insinuate that you weren't. The two of you are here alone, under a lot of stress, feeling lonely… I just wanted to make sure that this isn't a fling that you'll both regret. I don't want to see either of you get hurt in any fall out."

"Even if it were, Sokka, that's still between Zuko and me. We're both adults and are capable of handling the consequences of our decisions."

Sokka pointed out, "It doesn't just affect you two. It's bigger than just the two of you. You know that Aang's been avoiding the South Pole. He nearly flaked out of attending my wedding because he was too nervous to see you—"

"Sokka, there's no way he wouldn't have gone—"

"—You guys just can't afford to casually date each other. You're Fire Lord Zuko and Master Katara. All of us, we're held to a higher standard than other people."

"Aang and I are fine now," Katara said softly. "We talked it out. We just needed time and space."

Sokka made a face. "Yeah, Katara, but you and Aang are different from you and Zuko. You and Aang might have just needed time and space but I'm not crazy for thinking that you and Zuko would need a militia troop acting as referees."

"I can't spend my entire life alone because I'm scared of what _might_ happen."

"And what about Aang? How long did you guys intend on hiding this from him?"

"We're not sneaking around! But Sokka, I had my first relationship watched by the entire world. I'm entitled to privacy and I don't want this getting out so the public can twist it into something ugly. Because what Zuko and I have... it's anything but."

"We haven't exactly made a plan for how to tell Aang yet. But we want him to know from us." Zuko frowned. "That's the respectable thing to do."

"And what if this crashes and burns before you to get around to that? And then Aang finds out after the fact?"

"Aang doesn't need to be coddled. And if you want to know what I think, I think you prefer him to me because he's like your kid brother and he obviously adores Katara and that makes you feel safe about Katara's happiness because he would never hurt her the way you think I would. Katara _still_ wasn't happy with him. That's not a real relationship— all flowers and sunshine. Katara deserves more than that. And she told Aang that because she knew it. Katara and I will fight. We'll probably say stupid things to each other but that's real. And we'll apologize and forgive and learn. Our relationship will be different from her relationship with Aang. I hope it is. I want you to know that I could never do what he did. I think letting Katara go is one of the most foolish things he's ever done."

Katara frowned in confusion. "Zuko, I told you that I'm the one who ended things with Aang. Aang is the one who got hurt because of me."

Sokka narrowed his eyes and waited for Zuko to explain.

"Aang gave up. He let her go. You and I both know that Aang is the Avatar and he would choose the world over Katara. You and I know that. He _has_ chosen the world over Katara in the past. And I…. I would choose Katara over the world. Even if that makes me the bad guy." Zuko turned to Katara and murmured, "I know that's not the answer you want to hear, but it's the truth."

After a long moment of considering the couple, Sokka told them, "I guess a part of me was always expecting this." He sipped some of his forgotten tea and grumbled as an afterthought, "Maybe dreading this."

"You were?" Katara asked in shock.

Sokka smiled weakly. "Well... yeah. Sometime between Azula's attack at the Western Air Temple and the way Zuko asked you to help him fight Azula before Sozin's Comet… Jun's comments didn't help, either. Plus, he's the one that helped you find closure over Mom's death. That's… intimate. You let him witness a part of yourself that you never really let Aang, let alone _anyone,_ see. Even me. And Zuko accepted the grief, raw anger, and vengefulness wholly. But more importantly, he supported you through it. I'd really be an idiot to ignore how close you two got at the end of the war. Or how well you work together and trust each other. Why do you think I always paired you two up during training drills before the comet? I mean, I don't want to toot my own horn, but I'm kind of a genius, Katara."

Katara beamed at him. "You are some kind of something, that's for sure. But don't go thinking so highly of yourself. Remember, Toph guessed it before anyone else."

Sokka waved a hand at her dismissively. "She's a walking lie detector, that's cheating. So... you guys are... what, exactly? Like boyfriend and girlfriend?"

Katara shrugged a shoulder and pursed her lips. "We haven't exactly labeled it. But sure, if that's what you want to call us. It's not just a fling. We agreed that we only want to see each other."

Sokka remained silent as he looked at the couple.

"So… Katara and I… you're…?" Zuko prompted.

"Don't get me wrong, Zuko. I think you're a great man. But no one is good enough for my baby sister. _However,_ knowing that you're the one watching out for her, well she can't do better, can she? You're kind of manic when you have your mind set on something."

Katara ran around the table and threw her arms around Sokka tightly. He grunted and shifted their weight from the force of her hug to avoid falling over before wrapping his arms around Katara warmly. He closed his eyes as he squeezed her. With a heavy sigh, he opened one eye and gestured towards Zuko.

"Come on, Zuko, you're a part of this, too."

Zuko blinked and hesitantly joined in on the Water Tribe siblings' embrace. Katara leaned her head against his shoulder and Sokka clapped a hand on his other shoulder approvingly. Zuko laughed to himself and let out a breath of relief. When they broke apart, Katara completely settled into Zuko's side, wrapping her arms around his torso. Zuko felt a comforting warmth spread throughout his whole body and allowed himself to wrap an arm around her waist to curl her in. Feeling brave, his pressed his lips to her temple.

Sokka watched the exchange with only a slightly put out expression. "Alright, that's enough of that, Zuko," he complained, though there was no real heat to his tone.

"Sokka!"

Despite Katara's reprimand, Zuko felt himself blush and he stepped away from Katara minutely out of respect for Sokka. He reminded Sokka, "Don't forget that I walked in on your romantic plans with Suki back when we were fugitives. It's a bit of the pot calling the kettle back. And you owe me."

The way Sokka's jaw dropped as if it was unhinged had Zuko and Katara in hysterics. "Not with my little sister, I don't!" Once they had settled down, Sokka rolled his eyes at them and waited for them to sober up. "Can we be serious now?" he asked sardonically.

"Sokka, we've been nothing but serious. I don't know how we could be more sincere." Katara placed a hand on her hip and pursed her lips. "You'll also have to respect our wishes and keep this between us. Can you do that?"

Considering them, Sokka asked, "Can I tell Suki?"

Zuko and Katara shared a look before Zuko chuckled and nodded. "I trust Suki with my life. I'm still a little bitter that you took away my best bodyguard."

"As much as I acknowledge how kick ass my wife is, I don't think it'd be wrong of me to say that you've traded up by having a master Waterbender as your new bodyguard."

"Katara's _my_ bodyguard? Not the other way around?"

"Dude, she saved your ass today."

The three broke out into laughter again and Sokka grinned at them. "Alright, now that that's out of the way, I'm calling it a night. I've got to make my way back to Ember Island to my honeymoon before Suki comes here and murders me."

"You owe my uncle one more visit before you leave tomorrow," Zuko reminded him. "Besides, he'll probably give you something to bring back to Suki."

Sokka's face blanched. "Uh… I appreciate it, but we don't need any sex teas."

"Who the hell said anything about sex teas?" Zuko spluttered.

"That's what you made it sound like!"

"I'm pretty sure I didn't!"

Katara rolled her eyes. "Sokka, Zuko obviously didn't mean that. Sounds like you're just being insecure about something."

Sokka glared at her. "Ha. Ha. Well I better not hear from Iroh about either of you asking for sex tea."

"Agni," Zuko muttered under his breath. "Sokka, we don't need sex tea. Honestly, my uncle is probably just going to give you regular tea and a little knick knack for Suki as a wedding gift."

"Right. And speaking of which, you two better not need sex tea. I mean, well that is to say _—"_

"Sokka, please stop talking!" Katara exclaimed, her cheeks red and voice shrill. "Zuko, can you lend him one of your general's eel hounds so he can leave Ba Sing Se faster?"

"I was just thinking the same thing," Zuko muttered.

Sokka rolled his eyes but said, "That's actually helpful. I'll see you two in the morning." He gave Katara one more hug before turning down the hall that led to the bedrooms. "I'll be in the room next to Katara's," he called over his shoulder purposefully.

Katara shook her head and held her face in her hands, groaning. Zuko smiled and grasped her shoulders. "That wasn't as bad as I thought," he said lightly.

Her shoulders dropping, Katara looked up at Zuko with exasperation. "He's ridiculous."

"He cares." Zuko rubbed her upper arms reassuringly. "You're lucky," he reminded her. He leaned in, his golden eyes smoldering as they connected with her cerulean orbs. "Besides, I know firsthand that he's a deep sleeper and he wouldn't be able to hear me sneaking into your room."

Katara giggled and allowed herself to sag into his hold, sliding her arms around his waist as she rested her head against his chest. "As much as I believe in your stealth skills," she teased, "I don't think his heart could take it if he caught us. I don't think _your_ heart could take it, either."

Sighing dramatically, Zuko murmured, "It was worth a try. And yes, I believe I was told to take it easy with this new hole in my chest."

"That you were. Speaking of which, I wanted to talk about me being on the United Republic Council." Katara avoided his gaze and bit her lip anxiously.

"Are you nervous? Because you have no reason to be— you'll be amazing in this role."

Katara gave Zuko a grateful smile, though her eyes were still guarded. "I guess I just wanted to talk about your initial reaction when I volunteered…"

Zuko's face fell. "I'm sorry if that made you think that I thought you weren't capable. You are. It's just not what I expected for you in terms of your next steps. We spent the last few weeks talking about your plans to travel the world but then you decide to take a semi-permanent post in Yu Dao. It threw me off and I obviously didn't do a good job of hiding it."

"Especially considering how thrown off I was by your sudden display today," she pointed out with raised eyebrows.

Grimacing, he apologized, "I'm sorry, Katara. But no one was listening and then it was as if they were all ganging up on you. I just had to make them listen."

"You're the Fire Lord, Zuko. You can make them listen using this and this," she gently jabbed at his forehead and chest. "If you pull another stunt like that again, I'll kill you and bring you back to kick your ass again."

"Noted." He leaned down and dusted his lips over her cheek, nuzzling his nose against the line of her jaw before gently nipping at the skin of her neck. "Your sudden ambition also ruined the plans I had for you to visit me in the Fire Nation," he said lightly.

Ignoring the way he mouthed at her neck, and was definitely leaving a new mark, Katara explained, "The only reason I wanted to travel was to find a purpose. And I realized that by being the Water Tribe representative, I get to do what I want. And I get the added benefit of having a reason to see you more often. Yu Dao is much closer to the Fire Nation than the Southern Water Tribe or wherever I might be in the world and I figure that you'd have to visit to check in with the Fire Nation representative as well. It's just a year long position, Zuko, it's not like I'm completely throwing away my chance to travel or help others around the world. But I really think I could do some good there."

Zuko lifted his head and asked, "How often did you expect me to leave the Fire Nation to go to Yu Dao?"

Katara's cheeks pinked again. "I mean, it's not something I really thought about… Obviously, I understand if you can't visit that often. I don't expect you to abandon your country for me."

"To be honest, I was initially thinking that as Fire Lord as well as a founder of the United Republic of Nations, I should at least visit once in a while. But now that I think about it even more, quarterly visits make more sense."

Katara's cerulean eyes widened in surprise before crinkling as her lips curved into an alluring smile. "Oh they do?"

Zuko hummed thoughtfully before lowering his head again, "They do," he murmured before capturing her lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All of your comments about the Drama Lord last chapter really had me cracking up— thank you all for that!


	12. Chapter 12

_Last Time..._

_Ignoring the way he mouthed at her neck, and was definitely leaving a mark, Katara explained, "The only reason I wanted to travel was to find a purpose. And I realized that by being the Water Tribe representative, I get to do what I want. And I get the added benefit of having a reason to see you more often. Yu Dao is much closer to the Fire Nation than the Southern Water Tribe and I figure that you'd have to visit to check in with the Fire Nation representative as well. It's just a year long position, Zuko, it's not like I'm completely throwing away my chance to travel or help others around the world. But I really think I could do some good there."_

_Zuko lifted his head and asked, "How often did you expect me to leave the Fire Nation to go to Yu Dao?"_

_Katara's cheeks pinked again. "I mean, it's not something I really thought about… Obviously, I understand if you can't visit that often. I don't expect you to abandon your country for me."_

_"To be honest, I was initially thinking that as Fire Lord as well as a founder of the United Republic of Nations, I should at least visit once in a while. But now that I think about it even more, quarterly visits make more sense."_

_Katara's cerulean eyes widened in surprise before crinkling as her lips curved into an alluring smile. "Oh they do?"_

_Zuko hummed thoughtfully before lowering his head again, "They do," he murmured before capturing her lips._

* * *

Sokka watched through narrowed eyes as Zuko and Katara sat across from him in the kitchen, quietly eating the breakfast they had made together. Sokka had initially raised an eyebrow at that, surprised to learn that the Fire Lord could cook. Zuko reminded the Water Tribe warrior that he had lived on a small ship for three years with a barebones crew and had been a refugee in the Earth Kingdom for several months before taking the throne. Sokka chewed on his omelette as he continued to watch the couple before reaching for his congee.

Skepticism colored his tone as he spoke through his chewing. He maintained, "We lived together for a month. How did we not know this about you?"

Zuko raised his eyes from his food to Sokka's face before sharing a look with Katara, who rolled her eyes at her brother. Zuko shrugged and said softly, "Katara knew."

Turning his attention to Katara, Sokka asked, "You knew?"

Katara pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. "Of course I knew. Zuko offered to help me with meals a little after he joined so that I wouldn't be the only one cooking for us five, _plus_ Haru, Teo, and the Duke, _and_ Suki, Dad, and Chit Sang once you two broke them out of the Boiling Rock. Or do you not recall how everyone was kept well-fed?"

Sokka rubbed the back of his neck nervously and gave a nervous laugh as he shrugged. "Hey, I never saw Zuko helping you. Just watched him train Aang or sulk around the temple and then he sulked the campsite and beach house when we fled the temple. I guess after we got supplies, the actual preparation of our food wasn't something I worried about."

"Believe me, Sokka, I know," Katara retorted, though she smiled at him good-naturedly. "Gran Gran and I spoiled you. It's truly a wonder how Suki deals with you," she teased.

"Besides," Zuko added, "you know how much Katara loves to dote on others." A corner of his mouth lifted into a smirk as he looked at Katara. "Always taking in strays," he said teasingly.

"Took you in, didn't I?"

"You didn't want to initially," Zuko reminded her.

Katara scowled playfully, but her cheeks pinked. "Though I hate to admit it, I can be wrong sometimes."

Zuko's smirk grew into a soft smile and he held her gaze. Sokka watched the exchange with a slack jaw before sighing loudly and continuing to eat his breakfast. Zuko's golden eyes slid to Sokka before meeting Katara's again, his tender, intimate smile turning into an understanding one. Katara turned to her brother, who was stabbing at his food.

"Sokka, I thought you weren't going to be weird about this?" she prompted.

"I made no such promise," he grumbled.

"Spirits, and I thought that you finally grew out of your immaturity. I thought it would finally be over once you got married."

"Katara, ask any man how they would react to their little sister dating their best friend and I _promise_ you'll realize how cool I'm being right now. I could be swinging my club at Zuko's head right now. Or challenging him to a duel for your honor—"

"That is the most archaic thing—" Katara's voice rose over his.

"— but instead, I'm being pretty calm, if I do say so myself."

"— no one asked you!"

Ignoring the bickering siblings, Zuko blinked at Sokka and commented, "Well when you put it that way, I guess I wouldn't handle you dating Azula very well. But more so because I would be seriously concerned for you, not for Azula." Zuko shrugged and continued to quietly eat his breakfast.

Katara and Sokka both froze and turned to Zuko. Katara's jaw dropped before she broke out into laughter. Sokka spluttered wordlessly before brushing Zuko off, hurriedly slurping his congee before he choked on it, bits of rice flying from his mouth as he coughed and reached for his tea.

"Sokka, stop being so dramatic," Katara huffed.

She rose and stepped away from their table in the living room in order to go towards the kitchen, carrying her dirty dishes. She called over her shoulder, "Can I at least trust you two to behave while I go get a package of Toph's favorite pastries? I'll also be getting some treats for you to take back to Suki, Sokka. The least you can do is make sure that I don't come back to a destroyed house."

"Of course," Zuko said.

"Do you think I'm a complete imbecile?" Sokka retorted at the same time.

Katara smirked at her brother as she came back to the sitting room. "No comment. I'll meet you both at the Jasmine Dragon before Sokka heads back to Ember Island."

She paused before deciding to duck down and kiss Zuko on the cheek, her lips brushing against the rougher skin of his scar for a moment before she left the two men alone. The sound of the main door shutting echoed through the large house and in the meantime, Zuko blinked and felt his stomach flutter pleasantly at the lingering warmth of her kiss on his skin. He raised his eyes to find Sokka eyeing him yet again. Zuko sighed and put down his bowl of congee and raised an eyebrow expectantly.

"I thought we resolved this last night?"

"Zuko, she's my baby sister. You're going to be dealing with this for as long as you two are together."

"Sokka…" he began, "I know that this isn't what you wanted—"

"You said that you tried to hide your feelings for Katara as long as possible… exactly how long has that been?" Sokka interjected, his eyes narrow.

Gold eyes widening, Zuko answered slowly, "I'm not sure when I fell for her. I've spent literal years trying to piece it together. Whether it was during the war, after the war, I couldn't tell you. It just came out of nowhere and now I can't remember a time when I didn't feel this way."

"Right, that sounds very romantic. But it _does_ matter. Zuko, I seem to recall that you were in a relationship with Mai after our first visit to Ba Sing Se _and_ that you continued this relationship after the end of the war. So do you really mean to tell me that you had feelings for Katara while you were with Mai?"

"Sokka, that's not fair and you know it."

"It's fair where my sister is concerned."

"And what about when you tried to make moves on Princess Yue after meeting Suki first?" Zuko countered.

Sokka's face hardened. "Don't. That's not the same. Suki and I weren't officially together when I met Yue."

"And Mai and I weren't, either. Not when I met Katara. And _isn't_ it the same? You mean to tell me you didn't have feelings for both girls? At pretty much the same time?"

"Zuko, I mean it."

Zuko scowled at Sokka. "So do I! I'm sorry— I know that Yue is still a sore subject for you, but can't you understand me a little bit more then? Mai was a childhood crush. And then I went back to the Fire Nation as a hero and thought I could finally have everything I wanted. At the time, I thought that meant Mai. Everything I was taught growing up meant that I was supposed to be with Mai, the daughter of a Fire Nation nobleman. I was playing the role that was expected of me— the prodigal prince who finally regained his honor. And then I broke up with her before joining you at the Western Air Temple. I thought Mai hated me until the Boiling Rock. And even then, after she admitted she loved me and saved our lives at the risk of her own freedom, I left her behind. I thought I was doing the noble thing… leaving her behind for my duty, sacrificing what I wanted for the greater good, but Sokka, if that was Suki, do you think you would've done the same thing?"

Sokka grudgingly admitted, "No. Once we found out she was there, I wouldn't have left without her. I even ruined our attack on the Day of Black Sun because I thought your sister had information on her whereabouts. I mean, she did, but of course Azula wouldn't tell me. I… I couldn't have left Suki. When we had to separate at the Western Air Temple after your sister found us, there was no way I wasn't bringing her with us on Appa."

"I finally met Katara properly at the Western Air Temple," Zuko said quietly. "Got a second chance. For her forgiveness, her friendship. The chance to truly know her. And maybe I fell for her then."

"And then you and Mai got back together after the war, which brings me back to my point."

"Aang and Katara started dating right after the war's end, too!" Zuko shook his head. "I wasn't even seventeen years old. How the hell is anyone just supposed to know? Sokka, I said it last night and I'll say it until the day I die— I know I'm not good enough for Katara. And I've never felt good enough. Not for my father, not for my people… how could I expect that it would be any different with her? After the war, she was with Aang and Mai cared for me and I cared for Mai, too. I thought that would be enough and that it was my path. That doesn't mean that any feelings I had for Katara were invalid. I wasn't even sure what my feelings _were_. I was trying to rebuild a country that was hated by the world and filled with people who hated _me_. It always seemed so effortless between Aang and Katara and that's what I thought I was craving so I ignored it and focused on my work."

"Then, Mai realized what she and I had wasn't sustainable and she broke up with me… And I didn't have a relationship to hide behind anymore. Realized that it wasn't just what Aang and Katara had… it was what _Aang_ had that I wanted. So instead, I continued to keep my feelings to myself, ignoring them even more while I concentrated on bettering my country. I avoided visiting you all at the Southern Water Tribe— mainly because it's hard to leave the Fire Nation outside of official business, but also because how could I keep hiding this secret in front of her? And how could I just dump this onto Katara? Out of seemingly nowhere? And she was with Aang!"

Sokka watched intently as Zuko began to pace, his voice rising as his inner turmoil spilled out of him. Sokka frowned, feeling guilty for stirring him up. "Zuko, I didn't mean to—"

"But then, against all odds, she ended up coming to Ba Sing Se at the same time as me. She had broken up with Aang. I couldn't believe it. She was right here. We caught up and just talked and as we spent more time together, I felt like I could finally take a _breath_ for the first time in years. Then after one night on cactus juice, she finally showed me that she just might feel the same way about me… and I turned her down."

"Katara was on cactus juice— wait you _what_?"

"I turned her down."

Sokka blinked in confusion before glaring at Zuko in suspicion. "So how exactly did we get here?"

Zuko smiled weakly. "Your sister is persistent. Well first, she was pissed, and then she was scared. But then she was persistent and then she got scared again. But I… got tired of fighting myself and I decided to let it happen and even go for it more boldly than I would have before. I realized… I want something good in my life. Sokka, I can't really make a good case except for these facts: I love Katara. I hope to Agni that Katara feels even a fraction of the same way about me. And I haven't even told her how I feel because I am terrified to death that this moment of time can pass me by and that if it does, it will be my fault."

"You love Katara?"

With a shaky breath, Zuko jerked his head in a sharp nod. "I love her. Even though I know she's way out of my league," he added wryly.

Sokka's face softened and he knit his eyebrows together as he considered his next words, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Look, I meant it last night when I said that I know you're a good guy. And I shouldn't have called you a rebound or insinuated anything else like that. I'm just being an overprotective big brother. Katara dated Aang when she was barely fifteen years old. She's only been single for a few months and now she's moving on to my _other_ best friend. I'm a little nervous, okay?"

Zuko smiled sadly. "You're a good big brother, Sokka. I wish Azula had one like you."

"C'mon, Zuko, you're a good brother. You help Azula as much as possible and you're making sure that she can't hurt herself or anyone else now. She needs you and although she won't admit it, I think she appreciates it deep down."

"Thanks." Zuko looked down at the table before clearing his throat awkwardly. He still had trouble discussing his struggle to rehabilitate his sister. "We should clean up and head to my uncle's tea shop. Katara's probably already waiting for us."

"Zuko."

Zuko raised his eyes to meet Sokka's kind gaze.

"Even though I'm her big brother, Katara has always been the one to take care of _me_. Katara deserves to be taken care of, too. And I know that you can do that for her. It won't be easy, mind you. You already know this, but Katara is a handful. So… I guess what I'm trying to say is good luck? But you should know that I'm going to be busting your balls throughout the entirety of your relationship."

"Wouldn't expect anything less."

The two men grinned.

* * *

Katara sighed as she and Zuko returned to their home to prepare for the closing ceremonies at the palace. After bidding Sokka farewell, they had spent two days finalizing details for the new council members' move to Yu Dao. They'd just come from the Jasmine Dragon, bidding Iroh farewell until their next trip to Ba Sing Se. Katara sighed again as she plopped onto a large cushion situated in front of the fireplace, resting an elbow on the low table and propping up her chin with her hand. Zuko obligingly lit the fireplace for her and she smiled at him in thanks.

"Spring is officially here," she murmured. "No need for a fire at night anymore. I'm not cold."

Zuko nodded and settled behind her, pulling her into his arms and encouraging her to lean against his chest. "I know," he said quietly, his breath warm against the shell of her ear. "But I know it relaxes you all the same. But whether it's the heat, the color, or the sound, I'm not quite sure of."

"You haven't figured it out yet?" Katara asked, and although Zuko couldn't see her face, he could tell that she was smiling.

He teased, "I'm trying very hard to check my pride and avoid saying that it's our fireside snuggles that relax you."

"Thank the spirits for that," Katara joked. She knit her eyebrows together and chewed on her bottom lip before asking, "I was wondering… What _did_ you and Sokka discuss when I left you two alone the other day?"

Zuko scoffed. "What else? You."

"And?"

"And… nothing. Sokka gave me some more of his big brother speech and I had to talk to him about my feelings. You know, just a few of my favorite things."

Zuko shifted a bit as he thought back to Sokka's initial reaction to the news that they were dating. He ignored the voice in his head that suspiciously sounded like his father and focused on the truth that he knew. Sokka was his best friend. Sokka supported them. Katara stood up to Sokka to defend him and their relationship. She was all-in just as he was.

Katara chuckled lightly and the sound brought Zuko back. "I'm sure you loved it."

"Was ecstatic to do it." Zuko could hear something off in her voice and looked down, frowning as he saw the furrow in her brow, uncertainty written all over her face. "What's wrong?"

"I'm going to miss this. _You_ ," Katara admitted quietly. "I'm worried. What if the last few weeks… it's just a product of being alone in Ba Sing Se in the same house? We're going to separate soon and have to face our real lives. I'll be in Yu Dao and you'll be back in the Fire Nation. You're running a country and I guess I will be, too, and we're going from living with each other to _maybe_ seeing other once every few months and…" Her voice faded as she continued to stare into the fire, her fears finally rising to the surface.

"Katara," Zuko said gently. "Stop worrying."

"I'm just— I get stressed and what if—"

Zuko tightened his arms around her and leaned down so that he could look her in the eye. His voice was kind and stern at the same time as he told her again, "Stop worrying. Whatever happens next, we'll handle it. We've handled much worse, you know. This will be hard, but not impossible. Okay?"

He kissed her temple tenderly and Katara closed her eyes and sighed as she intertwined her hand with one of his hands wrapped around her stomach. "Okay," she said, but Zuko could tell she wasn't completely convinced.

Zuko brushed her hair out of the way with the hand that wasn't tangled with Katara's. Then, he pressed his lips to that spot on her neck, just under her ear, that always made her sigh in a good way. As if on cue, Katara let out another breath and her eyes fluttered close, her dark lashes fanning prettily over the top of her cheeks. Zuko gently nipped at the sensitive skin before trailing his lips down to where her neck met her shoulder. He could just make out the fading bruises from when he marked her during their night together. He couldn't believe that was only a few nights ago. It felt like a lifetime had passed since.

He turned to rove his eyes over Katara's face and smiled to himself. He thought to himself that a lifetime still wouldn't be enough time to gaze at Katara's face this way. "We still have time until the closing ceremonies… I think I can use that time to convince you."

Katara's eyes opened and she turned around in his arms so that he could see her growing smile, her lips curving sensually. He saw how the bright blue of her eyes darkened tellingly, in a way that immediately had Zuko's body tensing in anticipation. "Is that a promise?" she whispered.

"Oh it's a promise," he growled. He made to lean down and capture her lips when a knock on their front door echoed through the house. Zuko groaned and let his head hang back.

Katara smiled at him apologetically before disentangling herself and heading for the door. As she looked over her shoulder, she saw Zuko throw himself completely onto the large cushion, one arm thrown over his face. She giggled and smoothed her tunic before opening the door.

She pulled up short and let out a small "Oh," in surprise.

Yang, the photographer from the Jasmine Dragon, stood at the entrance cheerfully. "Master Katara!" he greeted excitedly. He held up a bound stack of photos in his hand. "These are Councilman Sokka's photographs that he requested when we met at the Jasmine Dragon."

"Oh," Katara said again, with more recognition in her tone. She smiled and accepted the photos from him, bowing slightly in thanks. "Unfortunately, my brother already left to return to his honeymoon, but I'll make sure he gets them."

"Not to worry. He mentioned that the other night. Your brother also requested doubles so make sure to separate them before you pass them along. I'm sure he intended for you to have your own set."

Katara smiled warmly. "I will, thank you. And thank you for taking the time to humor my brother and bring these over. You didn't have to— I could have picked them up. I'm always visiting General Iroh."

Yang gave her a knowing look. "I know. But I'm happy to pay a favor to any of General Iroh's friends. And it's quite obvious that he thinks of you very highly."

A faint blush dusted over the top of Katara's cheeks. "That's sweet of you to say."

His eyes darted over her shoulder and he grinned at her. "Have a good night, Master Katara."

"You, too!" she called out as he turned and made his way down the front steps, disappearing into a carriage in front of the home. She frowned in confusion at his abrupt departure until she closed the door and turned around, her eyes landing on Zuko's taciturn expression as he stood a few feet in front of her with his arms folded over his chest. It was quite the intimidating look, she had to admit. She placed one hand on a cocked hip and raised an eyebrow at him. "Is that necessary?"

"It is when every man we run into has to flirt with you," he grumbled sourly.

"Yang wasn't flirting."

"He wanted to."

"You can't possibly know that."

Zuko rolled his eyes at her and gathered her in his arms. "Katara, I'm a _man_. I know it."

Katara's huff of laughter against his chest softened Zuko's expression and he pulled her back to the pile of cushions in front of the fire in the sitting room. She settled back against him and undid the knot of twine holding the stack of photos together. Zuko watched, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"These are so clear. It really is amazing what people are inventing nowadays," she murmured. She beamed at the photo of her with her father and Sokka as they were entangled in a tight hug. "Sokka was right. I do want a copy of these for myself. He's always thinking ahead."

Zuko hummed in her ear in agreement. "That's a great keepsake for you to take with you to Yu Dao," he commented. "A nice reminder of your family to have with you."

Continuing to shuffle through the photos, Katara's small smile widened and Zuko found himself staring at the radiant expression on her face instead of the photographs she was thumbing through. Then, Katara's expression turned gentle and warm and she let out a soft breath in amazement. Zuko's eyes were compelled to follow hers to find out what drew that expression.

She held a photograph of the two of them sitting next to each other at the Jasmine Dragon. He vaguely remembered that Sokka was the one to take this photo. They were leaning in towards each other, eyes only seeing each other. Katara looked up at Zuko with a loving, gentle smile and her eyes were crinkled with happiness. He was shocked to see his own countenance matching the expression, never knowing himself to show such emotion. In the photo, he stared down at Katara with obvious affection, a rare grin softening his face but lighting it up all the same.

Katara cleared her throat and after a moment, she said slowly, "I don't think Sokka needs the duplicate copy of this photo."

Zuko shook his head and pressed his lips to her temple. "No, I don't think he does. I think the second copy should go to me."

"I was hoping you'd say that." She worried her bottom lip as she continued to stare at the photo. "I don't understand…"

Frowning, he asked, "Katara?"

"How could I not see this? How were you able to hide your feelings for so long? How could I not realize that I felt this way about you, too? It's not just something that sprang up now. The proof is right here and I wasted so much time because I was afraid — afraid of hurting Aang, afraid of getting hurt myself. We could have had more time together if we just—"

"Katara."

She looked up at him, the authority in his voice compelling her, and Zuko immediately felt a pang in his chest at the anxious set of her mouth. "All that matters is that we're here now," he said simply, his voice calm and reassuring.

"How can you just know that?"

"I never thought that I'd be so lucky to get to this point… You agreeing to be with me at all in _any_ capacity is a gift in and of itself and all the extra time we get is a bonus. I never thought it was a possibility. So I don't want to worry about what could have been when I can enjoy having you here with me now."

Zuko was taken aback when Katara threw the stack of photos onto the table and turned around again, straddling his lap as she rose above him, holding his face in her hands. She began to lightly pepper kisses over his face and she smirked when Zuko closed his eyes to her ministrations.

"You're right. No more worrying," she told him, purposefully pressing her lips against his scar. Katara's heart ached at the way Zuko's eyes shot open in surprise and with clear intention, she repeated the action, kissing the rough skin without hesitation. "Now where were we?"

Zuko's grin was predatory as he gripped her hips, pressing her closer. Katara giggled, the sound turning into a breathy sigh as she felt his hard length against her core, his heat and need matching hers.

"We were heading to my bed," he rasped out, choking back a gasp as Katara rolled her hips purposefully against him.

He managed to get to his feet with her in his arms. Katara relished in Zuko's show of strength as he carried her across the room before he braced her against a wall to kiss her again. She continued to grind her hips against him, her ankles crossing over his lower back.

Zuko groaned again and broke away, his nose brushing against hers as he panted, "Katara, if you don't stop that, we're not going to make it to the bed."

"What if I don't want to make it to the bed?" Katara countered, ducking her head for a heated kiss. Her resultant moans were swallowed by him, but the muffled sounds keyed him up nonetheless.

Zuko knew that she would be the death of him, but that it would be the most exquisite death.

Breaking away again with another breathless gasp, Zuko pressed their foreheads together. "As enticing as that sounds, you minx, if this is our last night together for a few months, we'll spend it on a bed."

Katara shivered at the roughness of his voice, the way his gold eyes darkened promisingly. She gulped before reminding him, "We still have the closing ceremonies to attend tonight. We have _after_ to spend on a bed."

Grinning roguishly at her, Zuko teased, "There's an after? We've got an early morning tomorrow. Are you sure that's the wisest decision?"

Katara gripped the back of his head, her fingers twisting into the dark strands tightly before bringing his face close to hers. "As long as you give me what I want, there'll be a now _and_ an after," she growled against his lips. She clung to him tightly and arched against him.

Zuko's breath huffed over her lips as he laughed lightly between kisses. "I'm more than happy to give you anything you want, Katara. Anything you need."

His smirk deepened as he felt how Katara shivered at his tone. Katara could only recall how her brain went fuzzy from his voice, rough with desire, and the way his lips pressed against hers again as he pulled at the sash holding her tunic closed.

That's how she soon found herself completely naked, still pressed against the wall, Zuko's lips persistent against hers in a slow, passionate kiss with one hand tangled in her tresses while the other rushed between her legs. Her tunic and leggings had been tossed somewhere over Zuko's shoulder, her sarashi in a pile at their feet. Zuko felt a spark travel down his spine as he felt how wet she was, her warmth welcoming his fingers easily. She cried out once he finally worked two fingers into her. She had also managed to tug Zuko's shirt over his head so she could rake her nails over his back as he continued to methodically take her apart and work her open.

" _Zuko_ ," she gasped. "Please."

Zuko's thumb grazed over her clit and Katara suddenly had trouble forming words when he asked heatedly, "Is this what you want? What you need?"

Katara bowed her back and pushed her hips against his palm as she grit out a throaty, " _Yes_."

"You want it now?"

"Spirits, yes, Zuko—"

Katara let out a strangled gasp at the way his teeth dug into her neck, knowing that new lovebites would bloom.

"Little minx, you want it rough and right here in the middle of the sitting room, don't you?" She keened and Zuko groaned as he felt more of her slick drip onto his fingers. " _Fuck_ , you do."

Zuko wrenched them away from the wall to lay Katara back down on the pile of cushions they had left in front of the fireplace. Katara whined as he pulled away, rising up on her elbows to follow after him. Zuko made a scolding sound, just a click of his tongue, and Katara instinctively halted, watching as he quickly removed his pants and underwear. Zuko smirked as he watched Katara's stormy eyes, watching him greedily until her gaze fell on his erection. The way she stared at him possessively and her breasts rose with each breath was ratcheting up his arousal and as soon as he completely disentangled from his clothing, he climbed over her, kissing her while he skimmed his hands up from her hips to her breasts, teasing the dusky tips.

Katara's hands roamed over his broad back as she rocked her hips against him, the brush of her heat causing him to falter and break away from her lips, instead burying his face into the crook of her neck, trailing kisses down until he mouthed at her breast, taking a nipple into his mouth. Regaining his self-control, Zuko laved over the sensitive bud with his tongue, before gently biting along the mound and relishing in her whimpering as she felt the jolt in her veins from the pleasure-pain mix.

Having had enough, Katara grabbed for his hard shaft, swollen and hard, stroking it at the pace he had taught her before. Once more, Zuko's self-control wavered and he groaned lowly against her breast, his eyes closing as he savored the feeling. Just as Katara felt a deep satisfaction at knowing she could affect him just as much as he affected her, Zuko grabbed her hands and pinned them above her head with one hand. With his other hand, he positioned himself against her slick folds, lazily rutting against her. Each time the tip of his shaft nudged her clit, the heat in Katara's lower abdomen flared and her body shook in anticipation.

"Tell me, Katara," Zuko commanded, his golden eyes blown with lust and his lips pulled back in a near snarl. "Say it," he hissed.

Katara tried to lift up against the hold he had on her wrists, not because she was afraid of him, but because she was so desperate to touch him. She attempted to roll her hips against him, but Zuko leaned back each time so that he was out of reach. Katara made a sound of disappointment, but soon moaned as she watched Zuko stroke himself with his free hand, using her wetness as an aid. The blue of her eyes was nearly swallowed by the black of her pupils as she witnessed how he glistened with her.

In light censure, he nipped lightly at her bottom lip and he urged her again, "Come on, gorgeous. Tell me."

Between the heat of his bare chest rubbing against her, the heat of his breath as he panted against her, and the heat in his eyes, Katara relented and locked eyes with him before she said in a quiet, almost shy voice, "Zuko, please, I want you." She whimpered, almost babbled, "I want to feel you. Need you inside me. Please touch me, make me yours."

Zuko's eyes widened and after using his free hand to grip her hip, he pressed into her completely in one smooth motion. "Good girl," he growled as he settled into a rhythm.

Katara cried out, loving his praise and the stretch of him being completely seated within her, her body greedily pulsing around him. When Katara clenched around him, Zuko's breath left him in a snarl and his body stuttered as a result. He retaliated by resuming his prior pace with a vengeance, keeping her wrists in his grip.

Zuko hissed, " _Fuck_ , Katara, you feel so good." He watched how her body flushed, her cheeks and chest turning a pretty shade of pink, and how her breasts moved with each hard thrust. He ground out, "Come on, beautiful, I want you to come for me, on my cock. You love when I talk to you like this, don't you? Show me how good I make you feel."

In response, Katara yelled out his name and Zuko increased his pace, unsurprised when Katara met him for every thrust, the sound of their hips slapping deafening in his ears. He leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Look at how beautiful you are. How good you are for me. You're perfect."

"Zuko, I'm almost— _please,_ " Katara gasped. She could feel the tension in her body rising to a peak, an ache growing that only Zuko could relieve. "I'm so close," she cried out, frustration evident in her voice.

"It's okay, I've got you," he said tenderly, adding another gentle kiss to the corner of her mouth. "Agni, the way you feel around me is addictive. It's like you were made for me, Katara. Made _just_ for me. I've got you, beautiful. I want you to come for me. You're safe— let go."

He drove into her deeply in a hard thrust, groaning as she gasped his name. He reached down with his other hand, his fingers searching for the sensitive bud he knew would bring her over the edge. As he found it and circled it with the pad of his thumb, he could see the ecstasy on Katara's face.

Katara's reaction was nearly instantaneous. Her breath sped up and her arms trembled underneath Zuko's grasp. Suddenly, she keened and shuddered as her orgasm crashed over her. Zuko immediately released her hands and gripped the back of her head, their lips meeting roughly in a sloppy, open-mouthed kiss. Zuko followed after her in seconds, his thrusts stuttering as his own body jerked in response to the way her body tightened around him, milking him completely. Katara moaned weakly as she felt Zuko thrust into her one last time, filling her completely as he pulsed inside of her. Then, she felt a warmth inside as he disjointedly thrusted into her, his eyes screwed shut. She barely acknowledged when Zuko released her hands, rubbing her wrists gently.

He gently settled atop her, bringing her hands to his lips to kiss them affectionately. Katara smiled at him as she brushed the sweaty strands of dark hair out of his eyes, her hands automatically moving in soothing circles on his back as they lay tangled together. Their damp skin felt cool as they lay bare on the scattered cushions, despite the nearby fire.

"Katara?"

Katara's eyes had closed and she could only hum in response, her face sated and dreamy. Zuko grinned and kissed her cheek before folding her into his arms.

"Katara?" he asked again.

"I'm fine Zuko," she sighed, her voice still dazed. "Spirits, that was good."

Zuko chuckled, the sound rich and warm and it made Katara clench again, her arousal still floating around her. Zuko could feel how her body reacted since he had yet to slip out and he smirked as he stroked her messy hair. "As much as I'd love to do that again, we _do_ have to get cleaned up and ready for the closing ceremonies now. Remember, you're representing both of the Water Tribes."

Katara's eyes flew open and she looked from his satisfied smirk to the waning light that came in through the window. She groaned and let her head flop back onto his arm. "We're going to be late, aren't we?"

Zuko kissed her quickly. "Don't forget, you promised me _after_."

Katara started to scramble and Zuko tightened his hold on her to slow her down. "It'll be okay, Katara," he assured her before grinning. "You know… We'll save time if we share a shower."

He watched as Katara blinked at him impassively before her cheeks colored again and she bit on her lower lip. Looping her arms around the back of his neck, she relented, "Well you _are_ the one who's been to more of these things than me. I'll defer to your expertise."

She gasped lightly as Zuko pulled out of her, trembling as she felt his spend begin to spill out of her. Zuko eyed the way his come contrasted against her tan skin, his heated look causing Katara's core to throb again. But soon, she was trembling with laughter instead as he scooped her up in his arms and carried her into his bathroom.

"We're sharing the shower then."


	13. Chapter 13

_Last Time…_

_Katara's eyes flew open and she looked from his satisfied smirk to the waning light that came in through the window. "Spirits, we're going to be late, aren't we?"_

_Zuko kissed her quickly. "Don't forget, you promised me_ after _."_

_Katara started to scramble and Zuko tightened his hold on her to slow her down. "It'll be okay, Katara," he assured her before grinning. "You know… We'll save time if we share a shower."_

_He watched as Katara blinked at him impassively before her cheeks colored again and she bit on her lower lip. Looping her arms around the back of his neck, she relented, "Well you_ are _the one who's been to more of these things than me. I'll defer to your expertise."_

_She mewled as Zuko pulled out of her, trembling as she felt his spend begin to spill out of her. Zuko eyed the way his come contrasted against her tan skin, his heated look causing Katara's core to throb again. But soon, she was trembling with laughter instead as he scooped her up in his arms and carried her into his bathroom._

_"We're sharing the shower then."_

* * *

Katara stared at her reflection in the mirror as she finished getting dressed. She was thankful that her formal dress robes had a high collar to hide the smudges of purple blooming on her neck. Leaning away from the mirror, she sighed and purposefully arranged her hair by bringing some strands forward over her shoulders, hoping the thick waves would also help to hide the hickeys from curious eyes.

"Did I hurt you?"

Katara whipped her head around to see Zuko in the doorway to her bedroom, his golden eyes tight as he watched her closely, leaning his shoulder against the wooden doorframe as he crossed his arms over his chest. Zuko's expression was an interesting mixture of pride and concern and Katara had to suppress a laugh.

"Of course not," she told him honestly. She arched a brow at him. "Obviously, I enjoyed myself. Are you telling me that your back doesn't have evidence of my nails?"

Zuko's expression relaxed as he smirked and responded smoothly, "Of course it does."

"Does it bother you?"

"Of course not," he parroted.

He crossed into her room confidently now. Standing in front of her, he gently pulled at the collar of her dress to see the fresh bruises for himself, his fingers dusting over the skin with a feathery touch. Katara involuntarily shivered from it and Zuko's eyes raised to meet hers. "You'll tell me if I go too far?" he asked quietly.

Katara blinked at him and took his hand in hers. "Yes," she told him firmly.

Katara was still adjusting to their new dynamic. She had seen many of Zuko's sides over the years of their friendship. She could handle Angry Zuko, Aloof Zuko, Brooding Zuko, lightly teased Awkward Zuko, admired Fire Lord Zuko's confidence and regality, relished in Uncle Iroh's Nephew Zuko's embarrassment, and she had a particularly soft spot for Vulnerable Zuko. But Sex God Zuko was a completely new side to him that she had been completely taken aback by, but quickly embraced. It never occurred to her that Zuko himself might not understand that side of him yet. They were learning together, and that made her heart ache and stomach flip in a good way.

"Zuko, I know you would never hurt me. And you'd know if you did, anyway. You always seem to know what I can and can't handle. I've told you before that you'd know immediately if something wasn't welcome, and if you recall, I could just Bloodbend you to stop if worse comes to worse. But I doubt we'd ever reach that point. Besides, you _do_ realize that I could just heal these if I wanted, don't you?"

Zuko's brow furrowed. "So why don't you?"

A blush spread over the top of Katara's cheekbones and she struggled to keep his gaze as she told him quietly, "I like them."

A roguish grin spread across Zuko's face. "You do?" he asked, the surprise evident in his voice.

Katara rolled her eyes and sighed as she tried to speak without blushing even more, but she could feel the heat intensify on her skin. "It's our last night together for a while and… it's like I have a little reminder of you. Just for a little while."

Zuko's face sobered and he took her chin so that he could maintain eye contact with her. "I told you not to worry. We'll make it work. Your brother said so himself— once I have my mind set on something, I'm practically manic about it."

Katara huffed out a small laugh. "And you're manic about me?"

His eyes darkened and her told her lowly, "Katara, you have no idea." Leaning down to give her a kiss, Zuko pulled away with less tension in his face and Katara grinned, knowing he was probably noticing the same with her. She saw how his eyes looked her up and down and his voice was wanting as he told her, "You look beautiful."

Katara blushed again and fought the urge to duck her head. "Thank you, Zuko."

She nervously ran her hands over the front of her dress, the silky fabric rustling quietly between them. She was wearing the dress that she wore to Sokka and Suki's wedding as she didn't have the time or money to commission a new one for the summit. A pale lavender that accentuated the umber tones of Katara's complexion with its creaminess, the dress skimmed over Katara's torso before flaring slightly at her hips in a slim a-line silhouette. Her shoulders were bare as the large bell sleeves were detached and billowed around her hands. This was an alteration she had made so as to make the dress appropriate for the Earth Kingdom as opposed to the violet, fur-lined outer layer that she had to wear in the South Pole. She had to admit to herself that she was inspired by her makeshift Painted Lady outfit from years ago, recalling how powerful she felt in it. Her sleeves and the bottom of her dress were delicately trimmed in silvery silk instead of the fur as well. And as always, her mother's necklace was settled in the hollow of her throat, the only thing disrupting the otherwise uninterrupted expanse of skin from her neck to where the bust line of her dress began.

Similarly to the night of King Kuei's birthday, Katara wore light make up, her eyes carefully lined with kohl and a dusty pink painted onto her lips and cheeks.

Zuko smiled at Katara and tucked an errand strand of hair behind her ear. Katara noted that he'd been doing that often and she savored the little show of affection. She still had her hair loopies in, but instead of a braid, she allowed her thick mane to flow freely with the exception of her front strands being pulled away from her face and tied at the crown of her head in a bun. It was the hairstyle she favored at the end of the war when Zuko had finally joined them at the Western Air Temple.

"You don't look half bad, yourself, Fire Lord."

Zuko saw Katara's cerulean eyes darken as she looked over him. Zuko, as always, was dressed in the shades of red and gold that was befitting of the Fire Lord. He had not yet put on his final layer of heavy dress robes so he had on a long sleeved shirt that tightened when he crossed his arms across his chest and dark red pants tucked into his boots. His raven hair was pulled back into a top knot, fastened by his headpiece. His golden eyes were bright and warm as he met her stare.

"I'm glad to hear it. I'm afraid I was rushing to get ready. My shower went on for far longer than I anticipated."

Katara rolled her eyes. "I'm sure," she said with as much nonchalance as she could muster. The memory of their tryst in the shower caused a pleasant heat to settle in her lower abdomen as she recalled how he had crowded her against the wall, the water raining over them as he brought her to another climax amidst the steam.

Smirking at her as if he knew what she was thinking, Zuko gestured for her to follow him out of her bedroom, his hand stretched towards her. "Come on, otherwise, we'll be suspiciously late instead of fashionably late."

She grasped his hand and her heart skipped as he squeezed her hand tightly, his thumb absentmindedly stroking over her skin. He let go of her only to put on his dress robes. Katara helped him fasten the clasp at his chest while he held the heavy armor atop his shoulders before she smoothed down the fabric. Then, he settled the armor onto his shoulders, the weight now familiar and comforting instead of overbearing as they once were. Once they had descended the front stairs of their home, Katara frowned in confusion at the two separate carriages outside. She turned to Zuko with a questioning gaze.

"You'll be going ahead without me," he explained. "While you were getting dressed, a messenger dropped off a missive from one of my cabinet members in the Fire Nation. I just need to take care of something before I head to the palace for closing ceremonies. It won't take long."

Katara's frown deepened. "Is everything alright? Can I do anything to help?"

Zuko reassured her, "Nothing concerning. Just want to get started on it so that my job gets a little easier once I get back to the Fire Nation. I also want to give my advisors some instruction so they're not acting like a bunch of headless pig chickens." His mouth twisted into a half-smile at Katara's quiet laugh. He promised, "I'll catch up with you soon. Enjoy— this night is yours to celebrate moreso than anyone else's."

Katara hesitated but nodded and leaned up to kiss him quickly, her hand stroking his face tenderly before she accepted his help getting into one of the waiting carriages. She turned and stared out the window, watching Zuko climb into the second carriage and head in the opposite direction, towards the Middle Ring. She sighed and sank back in her seat once she could no longer see him.

* * *

Iroh bid goodnight to his last employee, standing in the entrance of the Jasmine Dragon. As he was ready to turn in and close the shop, he paused at the sound of an approaching carriage. His brow furrowed when he saw Zuko disembark and stalk towards him, his face dark. Iroh sighed and beckoned his nephew to enter quickly, locking the door behind him. The Jasmine Dragon was now closed and completely empty save for him and Zuko.

Once the two had settled down at a table, Iroh guessed, "This is not a social call."

"No, unfortunately."

"Yes, I thought that this afternoon would be the last time I see you for a while." When Zuko remained silent, Iroh prodded, "And how are you handling your upcoming separation from Master Katara?"

Zuko's eyebrows knit together. "What do you mean? I'm handling it fine. We've seen each other more in the last month and a half than we have in the last two years. Being separated is the usual for us," he said brusquely.

Eyeing him knowingly, Iroh prompted, "So as soon as morning comes, it's business as usual?"

Zuko held his uncle's gaze for as long as possible before snapping his eyes away cursing under his breath. "Damn it, Uncle. You can't leave well enough alone."

With a low chuckle Iroh raised an eyebrow. "Are congratulations in order? Zuko if I'm being frank, you two are not subtle. Though I am surprised at the speed with which this came to fruition. The last time we broached the subject, you insisted that it was nothing more than a crush on your part."

"Don't act smug, Uncle. It's not a good look at your age. Katara wants to keep this as private as possible. She's already had one public relationship and I don't fault her for wanting to keep something for herself. Especially when she's given so much to the world. Especially with the vindictive nature of the Fire Nation Court."

"As I said, you two are not subtle. Besides me, who else knows?"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Sokka guessed during the final summit meeting and confronted us about it. Which means Suki knows by now. Toph might have guessed when we went to Yu Dao a month ago, or she forced it out of Katara."

Iroh hummed in thought. "General Jee also confided his suspicions to me."

"General Jee?" Zuko asked incredulously, his general being the furthest thing from his mind.

"We were catching up over some tea and he hinted that there might be something between you and Katara. Of course, I kept my mouth closed, but he let it slip that the way you two behaved in council meetings was akin to… well…"

"Say it, Uncle," Zuko deadpanned.

Iroh grinned. "A bickering, married couple. General Jee is, of course, a man of great honor, and didn't dare say a word to anyone else, but he's not a fool. He and the other council members could sense the… I'm trying to find another word besides 'sparks'."

Zuko scrubbed a hand over his face exasperatedly. "Agni, Katara's going to freak out."

"Zuko, you two are young and should be able to enjoy the thrills of young love without worry." Iroh paused when he noticed Zuko's eyes bulge. "What's really the matter Zuko?"

" _I_ love her," Zuko admitted quietly. "But I don't know that she… I mean, I don't expect her to— we just— she _just_ agreed to try a relationship with me, for Agni's sake. Neither of us planned for this!"

"No one ever does," Iroh told him gently. "I cannot speak for Katara and pretend that I know how she's feeling. But as an observant man, take it from me when I am confident in saying that she carries much affection and respect for you and that it is painfully obvious that you are very important to her."

Zuko felt his cheeks pink but he gave a wan smile and cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"Listen to me carefully. The only people whose opinion matters regarding any relationship is the people in the actual relationship. No matter what, other people will have an opinion and try as you might, you have no control over it. What other people think of you and Katara's relationship is none of your business. Enjoy your relationship and be good to each other and that's the best you can do."

"Thank you, Uncle," Zuko said eventually.

"Now, you didn't come here on your last night in Ba Sing Se for relationship advice. What has you so worried that you'd come to me and not spend the evening with Katara at the closing ceremonies?"

Zuko reached into his robes and pulled out an unassuming scroll, sliding it across the table. "A messenger dropped this off at the house. Said it was urgent from the Fire Nation. It was authenticated and sent by Ming."

Knowing Ming was one of the most trustworthy guards in the Fire Nation capital, Iroh's eyes roved over her hastily written missive before he turned his attention to the smaller scrap of paper folded within her scroll. Then, Iroh sighed heavily and put the letter down on the table. Zuko maintained a baleful glare at the seemingly innocuous piece of parchment. The younger Firebender's hands tightened into fists on the table and Zuko exhaled forcefully.

"What do you think, Uncle?" he asked tightly.

Speaking cautiously, Iroh answered, "I am not quite sure what to make of that. It is unusual that this is coming up after years of dead ends and stubborn silence. And I do not think the information that is being offered is being offered without selfish intentions. I know my brother better than that. There must be something that has been set in motion and this is the first step."

Raising his eyes, Iroh lifted an eyebrow at Zuko. "You would do well to remember that we must be many steps ahead of your father, Fire Lord Zuko. It's the only way we can make sure that we do not fall into a trap. Remember what happened on the Day of Black Sun."

"What could he possibly be planning?" Zuko demanded. "He's been in solitary imprisonment for five years in the capital's highest security facility. No one is allowed to visit him without my explicit approval and I have to be there for every visit. How could this be happening? Someone must have betrayed me."

"Do not get ahead of yourself. We'll handle this wisely and not with rash decisions. This, of course, will take priority once you return to the Fire Nation tomorrow."

Zuko's brow furrowed. "Uncle, I know that I can't possibly ask this of you and that it's _my_ responsibility as Fire Lord to take care of this, but I need your help. Will you help me?"

Iroh's face softened with an understanding smile. "Of course. It will take me some time—"

"There's no rush. I know you need to make sure that everything is arranged so your shop will be taken care of when you go to the Fire Nation."

"Zuko."

Zuko looked up at Iroh and sighed at the older man's gaze. "I'm scared, Uncle," he revealed.

"There is no reason to be ashamed to admit when you need help or if you are afraid. What matters is that you are handling it. Don't worry, Zuko. I'll help you with this and will join you as soon as I'm able. Though, if I may make a suggestion, it would be handy if Master Bei Fong could make her way to the Fire Nation as well. I think her special talents would be quite advantageous here."

"Exactly what I was thinking." Zuko shook his head and fought the urge to rake his hand through his hair, not wanting to look the part of a disheveled mess at the closing ceremonies, even though that was how he felt. "I'll have to tell Katara later tonight. She'll be suspicious that Toph is being called to the Fire Nation when she arrives in Yu Dao and I don't want to keep any secrets from her. I don't want to worry Katara and distract her from her new duties in Yu Dao, either. I just don't understand what Father's goal is. "

"I imagine it is the same goal that it has always been— rule the world with an iron fist. He no longer has his Firebending. So his next most valuable weapon is his cruelty and manipulation."

Pressing his lips into a hard line, Zuko growled out, "It's like I'm sixteen years old again. Here he is, taunting me with my mother!" He slammed his hand against the table in frustration. To his credit, Iroh did not flinch, used to his nephew's angry outbursts.

"But do you think it's possible, Uncle? Do you think that after a decade, I'll finally be able to find her?"

Iroh pressed his lips together and sighed again. "It is difficult to say, Zuko. While I hope that you'll be able to be reunited with her, I am hesitant to think of what the cost may be and if this is real to begin with. But if there is a chance that your mother is alive… I would want nothing more than for you to have her again."

Gold eyes slid over to the letter. In a quickly scribbled hand, the message was short but clear.

_Come see me and I'll tell you where your traitor mother is. Alone._

* * *

"Where's your Fire Lord?"

Katara turned over her shoulder to see Toriq grinning at her over his goblet of wine as he approached her. She raised an eyebrow but otherwise fought to keep her expression neutral as she shot back, " _My_ Fire Lord?"

"Alright, to be fair, he's just _the_ Fire Lord. But the question still stands."

"He had some Fire Lord-y business to attend to before coming to the closing ceremonies. He wants a head start since he'll be spending most of tomorrow traveling." Katara tried not to let out the sigh that threatened to spill from her lips. Every time she thought about how Zuko would be separating from her tomorrow, her chest tightened. She stared at her goblet forlornly.

"Will you miss him?"

Katara stiffened and glared at Toriq. "What kind of question is that?"

Toriq shrugged and casually drank his wine. "Just a question." His blue eyes slid to hers deliberately and he leaned in and whispered. "In case you forgot, I was there when you saved his life the other day. I saw the way you looked at him. How he looked at you. It doesn't take a genius."

Katara's eyes narrowed. "He's one of my best friends," she said defensively. "He was _dying_. You saw the scar on his chest that he got for saving _my_ life. How else should I have behaved?"

At this point, the story of Fire Lord's Zuko sacrifice to save the master Waterbender was world-renowned. It was one of the reasons that Zuko's transition into power was better swallowed by wary Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe citizens. Nodding, Toriq, remained silent, but the slight curve to his lips was enough of a signal that Katara knew he didn't completely believe her.

"Alright, Master Katara," he said breezily. "I know better than to get on my sifu's bad side. I've already made that mistake with Master Pakku in the past."

Toriq, along with one other healer from the Northern Water Tribe, would be Katara's first Bloodbending students and they would go with her to Yu Dao in the morning to start their training while Katara began her term as a councilwoman.

Sighing, Katara relented, knowing that she would be spending the next year with Toriq due to his Bloodbending training. She would prefer that it not be a miserable year so she asked quietly, "Please, Toriq, whatever you _think_ you saw…. can you at least keep it to yourself?"

"Why does it have to be a secret?"

Her eyes flashed and she retorted, "Because it's no one else's business. And I am entitled to my own privacy and Zuko is entitled to his as well. If we weren't Fire Lord Zuko and Master Katara, no one would give a damn, would they?" Katara scoffed. "You talk about respecting me as your sifu but then you make a bonehead threat like this? You forget, Toriq, that I'm the one who decides if you even get the opportunity to come with me to Yu Dao."

Toriq's face turned stricken before it softened and he whispered earnestly, "Katara, I'm only teasing. I apologize deeply if it came off disrespectfully or as a threat. You're right— it's none of my business and that _was_ a bonehead comment on my part. I… just thought that we might be good enough friends that I could tease you a bit. I obviously misunderstood."

Katara sighed and held a hand to her temple tiredly. "No… I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. You're my student and I shouldn't have threatened your learning."

"You're being too forgiving, Master Katara. I was being a little shit about it. You're being protective over him and you're well within your rights to do that. I should have known better than to press you. You're my teacher and that wasn't my place to make a joke. I was out of line."

"Coming from a Northern Water Tribe man… that's new," she said dryly.

Toriq nodded, taking the dig at his tribe in stride. "The elders are set in their ways, but the new generations have their own mind. And you caused quite the stir when you challenged Master Pakku all those years ago… there were some irreversible effects from your impressive display. I hope the fact that I've learned healing and would like to learn Bloodbending under you is proof of that." A pink stain appeared on his tan cheeks and he admitted, "But I guess this confirms that my father's hopes for us to start dating during my training are dashed."

Raising a dark eyebrow at him, Katara asked, "What?" incredulously.

Toriq laughed nervously. "Come on, as if you don't know that you're the most eligible bachelorette in either of the Water Tribes."

Katara's barked out a loud laugh. "I had no idea," she confirmed, bringing up a hand to try and hide her disbelieving smile. "To be honest, I don't know how to react to that— it would be more flattering if it wasn't slightly objectifying."

Toriq shrugged and smiled sheepishly. "Truly, Master Katara, it's only meant to be flattering. You're a hero— the first woman Master Pakku taught combat Waterbending to, teacher to the Avatar, and you defeated the Princess of the Fire Nation to help secure the end of the Hundred Year War. And now? You're a founder of the United Republic of Nations. A lot of the tribal elders pray to the spirits that you'll give their sons a second glance, especially since Chief Arnook has no one to pass the title to since Yue's death. Once he resigns, a new chief will have to be selected and it would be extremely auspicious to be linked to you."

Katara shook her head. "I have no dowry, no title, and no claim. That's a lot of pressure just for a reputation."

"It _is_ quite the reputation," a baritone voice said from over her shoulder.

Katara looked over her shoulder to see Zuko approaching them. She didn't expect that he would stand so close to her in public and shifted her weight nervously once he settled at her side. She could feel the heat of his body and smell the soap he had used during their shower. Even remembering it brought a blush to Katara's face. She was taken out of her thoughts when she felt Zuko's strong arm secure itself around her waist. She looked up to see how Zuko's jaw clenched slightly as he tilted his head at Toriq in greeting.

Toriq shifted uncomfortably and inclined his head as a small bow to return the favor. "Fire Lord Zuko! I was just asking Master Katara when you'd arrive."

Smoothly, Zuko replied meaningfully, "I'm here now."

At a loss for words, Toriq replied weakly, "Right…" He squirmed a bit underneath the Firebender's intimidating stare. "How are you feeling?"

Zuko felt Katara's elbow jab into his side and he relented, "Much better, thanks to you and Master Katara. Without your help, I wouldn't be able to stand here. Please accept my deepest gratitude."

Katara bit back a sigh at the thinly veiled annoyance in Zuko's voice. Taking pity on her student, she cut in pointedly, "That's right, Toriq. Fire Lord Zuko owes you for your assistance the other day. Especially since it was his own stubborn decision that led to needing your help in the first place."

Zuko's hand tightened on her waist for a moment before it relaxed again. Zuko took a deep breath before smiling placidly, if not a bit forcedly. "Master Katara is right."

Toriq lifted an eyebrow and nodded at Katara. "Right. Well I'm not a complete idiot. I can tell when my presence isn't welcome. Fire Lord Zuko, you need not worry. I have eyes. I hope you have safe travels to the Fire Nation and I'm sure I'll see you during your visits to Yu Dao. Have a good night, you two."

Katara watched Zuko's golden eyes narrow thoughtfully, but he surprised her by reaching out his hand. Toriq stared at it confusedly before smiling tentatively and grasping Zuko's forearm— the traditional Water Tribe greeting. When he walked away, Katara rounded on Zuko, but her reproach died on her lips once she noted the tension in his face.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

"You told Toriq?"

Katara blinked at him in confusion. "What? Toriq? I— no, he figured it out himself, or at least he heavily suspects, but he swore he wouldn't tell anyone."

"Damn it."

"Zuko, what's going on?"

"Apparently, we're not as subtle as we think we are. I've just been informed by my uncle that some of the other council members seem to have picked up on us. And that was after he confirmed his own suspicions."

Katara's brow furrowed. "While the council members might have suspicions, I don't believe that they think much of them. Otherwise, the gossip would have spread like wildfire by now. Toriq only knew because of what he saw up close when he helped me heal you. I guess I wasn't doing a very good job being subtle, but I was distracted by the fact that you were dying. And besides, you're doing a very poor job of hiding it right now, if you were really concerned." She pointedly cast a glance at the arm he had wrapped around her waist.

Zuko pressed his lips into a thin line and took a deep breath, fighting the urge to run a hand through his hair in frustration. He stepped back from Katara to leave more room between them and slid his hand from Katara's waist to her shoulder. He was slightly mollified by the fact that he could feel the warmth of her skin since the cut of her dress left her shoulders bare.

"I… I'm sorry. I just saw Toriq hovering closely to you and I just _did_ it. Agni, and he saved my life. I owe him another apology before the end of the night."

Katara raised an eyebrow and offered a weak smile. "You did warn me about your jealousy," she reminded him, trying to lift his mood. She frowned when the tension didn't leave his face. "Zuko? There's more, isn't there?"

His hand tightened for a moment on her shoulder before he pulled his hand back. "Later," he told her. With a slight twist of his lips, he said, "I don't want to ruin the closing ceremonies for you. It's a big night for you."

"Zuko, it doesn't matter—"

"It matters," he cut in. "This summit was _your_ summit to celebrate and it's your first one. Let's end it on a good note and then we'll talk at home."

Katara frowned and shook her head. "I can't think about that when I know that you're—"

"I'm not _anything_ right now, Katara. Let's enjoy the closing ceremonies, head home, and then I'll tell you everything," he promised her.

Zuko desperately fought the urge to lean in and place a kiss on her temple, hating the worried furrow between her brows. He sighed, especially hating how they had to keep their relationship a secret now more than ever. He had gotten used to conveying everything to Katara non-verbally that he was struggle to express his frustration with words.

The worry didn't leave Katara's face but she nodded him and ventured a reassuring smile. "I know. Okay, I'll save it for later, if you're sure."

"I'm sure."

Katara's smile widened a bit more but right when she was about to say something else, King Kuei's voice echoed across the room.

"And to kick things off, I'd like to welcome Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe to represent both Water Tribes and officially start the closing ceremonies. Master Katara, if you don't mind."

Looking over her shoulder, Katara raised her eyebrows at Zuko uncertainly and he nodded at her encouragingly. She nodded back at him before crossing through the crowd to join King Kuei at the small stage set up near his throne. Zuko took a deep breath and tried to focus on how proud Katara looked as she stood with King Kuei. He met her eyes and this time, when his chest tightened, it wasn't because of anxiety or worry but because of the way she beamed at him and made him feel like the only person in the room. And for now, that was enough.

* * *

Katara chewed on her lip nervously as they walked back into the house. Zuko immediately lit the fireplace and sighed as he removed his armor. He sank down at one of the seats around the kitchen table and removed his crown, the golden hairpiece clattering noisily as it hit the marble surface. Immediately, Zuko's pale fingers twisted through the dark strands, as he had been wanting to all night, his knuckles white. Katara sighed and slowly came up behind him, rubbing his shoulders soothingly. Zuko made a small noise of content and Katara smiled to herself as she continued her ministrations, focusing on the tight knots she could feel under his skin. His grip in his hair loosened slightly.

"What's going on?" she asked quietly.

Zuko sighed heavily and murmured, "Thank you."

Katara momentarily interrupted her massage to disentangle his fingers and run her hand through his silken hair comfortingly before leaning down and kissing his cheek. She whispered, "I've got you."

Zuko's eyes closed and he savored the soft intimacy of her quiet voice before he grasped her hands and turned around to look her in the eye. He brought one of her hands to his lips to place a gentle kiss on the inside of her wrist. "You do— have me, that is. Completely. I'm yours," he said quietly, slowly.

Reaching up to cup his face in her hand, Katara leaned in and asked worriedly, "What's going on, Zuko? Something's been on your mind the whole night. Let me help."

"It's my father," he told her eventually.

Katara's eyes widened. "What's wrong? Did he get out? We have to—"

She had lunged away, towards the door, as if prepared to run out and head straight to the Fire Nation herself, her blue eyes alight with determination. Zuko rushed to grasp her wrist and pull her back. "He's still locked up…" he trailed off.

Blinking confusedly, Katara asked, "Then, what?"

She watched as Zuko's golden eyes squinted thoughtfully. Zuko wouldn't meet her eyes and he let go of her and sighed, getting out of his seat to begin pacing, his anxious hands going through his hair again. Katara watched him make a few laps before reaching for his hand, taking it in hers. For a moment, he looked as though he might snatch it back, but just as quickly, the anger disappeared from his face, melting into worry and exhaustion. He sank back into the chair next to hers while Katara rose and cooed soft, soothing noises, her other hand picking up where she left off, rubbing his back comfortingly.

"Zuko, if you don't want to tell me, it's okay."

"It's not that. I _do_. I just don't know _how_ —" he bit out, his shoulders tensing again.

Katara frowned and laid her head on his shoulder, wrapping one arm around his back tightly. She waited with him in silence, never letting go of him or stopping the gentle patterns she was rubbing across his back. Eventually, she realized that his breathing was calming, syncing with her hand.

"I received a message from my father," he revealed finally.

Katara remained silent as she waited for him to continue. She felt a small ounce of relief when Zuko leaned into her.

"He's offering information about my mother if I go visit him. I haven't gone to see him in at least two years. I gave up when he refused to answer my questions or look at me. No one is allowed to visit him without my approval and presence so he hasn't seen anyone except the guard that slides his meal through the door. I'm scared of what the cost of this information might be. If it's even real. What it could possibly mean for him to offer this after so many years… Uncle and I think it might be the first step in a plot to gain back the throne."

Katara's stomach dropped and rose to her full height. "Which would mean it's the first step in a plot to hurt _you_."

Zuko lifted his eyes to hers. "And everyone I care about," he said meaningfully.

Shaking her head, Katara told him vehemently, "Zuko, _no_."

"Katara—"

"I said, _'No'_. I know what you're going to say and I'm telling you now that I'm not letting you—"

"It's not what about what I want, it's about keeping you safe—"

"I can handle myself," she grit out.

Zuko shot out of his seat. "Damn it, Katara, it will _destroy_ me if anything happened to you! Why can't you understand that? You think I'm being honorable? Fuck that— I'm being _selfish_. I can't let you get involved in this because if anything were to happen to you, I will lose _everything_!"

"I'm not some weak little—"

"You're not. I know that, more than anyone. You're strong, _so_ strong. And brave and stubborn and selfless and beautiful and kind and resilient and everything I wish I was. You are everything that makes the world good and without you, I can't—" Zuko's voice broke and his golden eyes were tight with fear as he met Katara's eyes. "In a world without you, I would barely exist… And I refuse to let you be used in some sick, twisted game my father has in store for _me_."

Katara's lips trembled and she turned away, screwing her eyes shut and taking a deep breath. Then, she opened her eyes and looked at Zuko imploringly. "Zuko, you know as well as I do that we're stronger together. You told me that the only way this would work would be for us to give it a real shot. This is as real as it gets. We're going back into the real world, not playing house in our own little bubble in Ba Sing Se. And it is scary but it's _real_. You've been telling me that whatever comes next, you and I will handle it together. We stick together and help each other get through the worst. Do I need to remind you of what happened the last time you tried to leave me behind to protect me?"

She looked pointedly at the center of his chest.

"Katara, the worst for me… I wouldn't be able to survive." Zuko's face was paler than usual and he whispered brokenly, "I don't want to lose you. I wouldn't be able to—"

Rushing towards him, Katara threw her arms around him, burying her face into his chest. "You wont," she repeated over and over.

His arms closed around her tightly and he tucked his face into the crook of her neck. Katara could feel the dampness of his tears against her skin and she squeezed her arms around him even more, silently reassuring him that she was there with him.

"Zuko, I promise you, you won't lose me."

Leaning back, Zuko looked her in the eye. He knew that was a promise that Katara couldn't keep, no matter how hard she tried. There was too much out of their control but her words triggered a comforting warmth to spread throughout his body nonetheless. Instead, he nodded and gently brushed the back of his fingers across her cheek.

"Zuko?"

"Hm?"

Katara reciprocated his gesture and cupped his cheek with one hand. "We'll handle it one day at a time. Together. You said you're mine… well I'm equally yours."

She leaned up to kiss him and between the feel of her soft lips against his and her affirming words, Zuko almost allowed himself to believe her.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy valentine's day :)

_Last Time…_

_"Zuko, I promise you, you won't lose me."_

_Leaning back, Zuko looked her in the eye. He knew that was a promise that Katara couldn't keep, no matter how hard she tried. There was too much out of their control but her words triggered a comforting warmth to spread throughout his body nonetheless. Instead, he nodded and gently brushed the back of his fingers across her cheek._

_"Zuko?"_

_"Hm?"_

_Katara reciprocated his gesture and cupped his cheek with one hand. "Stop worrying, please. We'll handle it one day at a time. You said you're mine… well I'm equally yours."_

_She leaned up to kiss him and between the feel of her soft lips against his and her affirming words, Zuko almost allowed himself to believe her._

* * *

Zuko pulled away and leaned his forehead against hers, his eyes closed. "Say it again," he murmured lowly, his voice low and pleading.

Katara instinctually knew what he was asking for and pressed her lips against his again. Then, she trailed her lips along his jaw as she slid her arms around Zuko's neck, pressing closer to him. When she looked up at him through her lashes, she watched how Zuko's lips parted and his gold eyes darkened. His hands tightened around her hips, dragging her into his body.

"I'm yours, Zuko."

A deep groan fell from Zuko's mouth and he lifted her into his arms. Instinctually, Katara wrapped her legs around his waist, hooking her ankles around his lower back while her arms looped around his neck. Without missing a beat, she ducked down to capture his lips as they moved through the house. Their kiss was tender, Zuko demanding no more than Katara was willing to offer. He showed her how much he wanted her while keeping himself restrained. Once he laid her on his bed, he was encouraged by the soft sounds she gasped between their lips.

Zuko quickly realized that being with Katara was easily becoming a new addiction, the swirl of emotions offering a heady buzz. The rush of their lips meeting, worry if she would reject him, pride when he made her brown skin turn a pretty shade of pink, absolute elation when she looked at him with a heavy-lidded smile so beautiful and happy that it could bring him to his knees.

They pulled apart and Zuko brushed his face against hers tenderly before he buried his face in the crook of her shoulder, nuzzling against the smooth skin of her neck. His arms burrowed beneath her to wrap tightly around her frame and he was careful not to put too much of his weight on her as he settled onto the bed. Katara placed one hand on the back of his head, cocooning him, while the other reached around his broad back as much as it could. She savored the comforting weight and heat of his body against hers.

"I'm here," she soothed reassuringly. "It'll be okay, Zuko."

She could feel his frustration in the tension in his neck, the way his shoulders nearly reached his ears. His body shuddered as he took a calming breath.

"What do you need from me?" she asked gently.

Another shudder wracked through Zuko's body, but she felt his warm breath as he exhaled sharply. Slowly, he leaned back to look down into her eyes. "This is everything I need. You at my side. I want…" his voice quieted.

Katara nodded compassionately at him, patient to let him finish his words.

"I _want_ your help. I want you with me, but I'm still so scared that you'll get caught in the middle again. That my family will hurt you. Again." He sighed again and rolled away so that he lied on his back next to her, staring at the ceiling. "I'm scared that my anger is going to get the worst of me and I'll lash out and say something that will hurt you and I _really_ don't want to do that. I never want to do that."

"You're doing incredibly well," Katara complimented encouragingly. "Zuko, I want to help but I can only help as far as you'll let me. I understand that you're scared for my safety, but if we weren't together, would you have asked for my help?"

"No," he said immediately. Then, he screwed his eyes shut and put his hands through his hair, pulling at the dark strands. "Maybe. Yes. Probably," Zuko finally allowed after a long moment of silence.

"Then, I think the logical conclusion is to let me help. I'm touched that you want to protect me so fiercely, but your judgment is being clouded. And I happen to think that you've shown excellent judgment in the last five years so I'd like for you to keep trusting your instinct as long as it's not skewed by your feelings for me. Easier said than done, I know."

Zuko frowned and insisted, "You know as well as I do that if you were in my place—"

Katara sighed and huffed, "I know, Zuko. That's why I said it's easier said than done."

Zuko turned his head at that, seeing how Katara had also turned onto her side, her head pillowed on her arm as she smiled softly at him, her blue eyes understanding. He shifted so that he could face her completely, too. "I asked my uncle to come to the Fire Nation to help me. He'll join me as soon as the Jasmine Dragon is prepared for his absence. You're going to go to Yu Dao in the morning, as planned."

"Oh, you're sending me away? Is _this_ your way of asking me for help? "

A weak smirk on his face, Zuko countered, "I think I'm telling you, not asking. Because I know you'd never refuse someone who asked for your help. And the people of Yu Dao need your help more than I do, Katara. If we weren't together, would you be willing to choose me over them? Their needs are more urgent than mine. My father's threat is just that for now. If things escalate, I'll let you know as soon as I know."

Katara pursed her lips and allowed, "That's fair."

"I'll need you to ask Toph if she can make a trip to the Fire Nation. I'd like to have her with me as I talk to my father."

Arching a dark eyebrow at him, Katara asked, "So Toph is good enough to help you but not me?"

Zuko deadpanned, "Are you serious right now?"

Katara sniffed, "Of course. But I understand why Toph would be helpful to have instead of me. For now. I'll tell her as soon as I arrive in Yu Dao. My brother and Suki are still on Ember Island. I can send them a messenger hawk and—"

"Katara, it's okay. Let them have their honeymoon."

"If they find out that they were that close and you didn't clue them in, they'll be more insulted than bothered," she pointed out.

"I'll take your advice under consideration," he returned dryly. Zuko then opened his arms in clear invitation. "For now, I'd like to go to sleep."

"You know, five years ago, you would have been rushing back to the Fire Nation, hands blazing."

"Five years ago, I would have." Zuko huffed a small laugh. "Now, I'm Fire Lord and not a banished prince. And it's the last night I'll have with a beautiful woman who happens to be my best friend and favorite Waterbender. And I don't want to ruin it further than my father already has. Can we please just go to bed?"

Katara sat up. "Hold your ostrich horses. There's no way I can fall asleep in this dress and we've already wrinkled it enough."

She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, giggling at the pout on Zuko's face as she did so, and removed her long bell sleeves, delicately folding the silky fabric and placing it on Zuko's nightstand before she began working at the ties that held her dress up, letting the silk fall until she was just left in her sarashi. She moved away to hang the dress in Zuko's wardrobe, not wanting it to wrinkle further when she heard rustling behind her. She looked over her shoulder to see Zuko removing his boots and long sleeved shirt, leaving his chest bare. Katara's eyes grazed over his exposed skin appreciatively until they landed on his scar on his chest. She climbed back onto the bed and straight into his lap.

Zuko raised an eyebrow but let it happen, his hands settling at her hips. He looked at her bemusedly, but Katara could see the heat in his gaze, feel the way his body thrummed with excitement.

Katara grinned and repeated, "Hold your ostrich horses, Fire Lord. I thought you wanted to go to sleep."

"I might be convinced to hold off on sleep. Depending on the convincing."

Her smile grew. "I bet." Her expression grew pensive and her hands slid from his shoulders until they settled on the scar. "Does it cause you discomfort? I noticed when we spar that it pinks up— does it hurt afterwards?"

Zuko frowned in confusion from the change in topic. He lamely shrugged at her. "Not really. Just sometimes when I really exert myself. Not enough to really cause me any concern. Feels like regular muscle ache."

Katara narrowed her eyes thoughtfully and lightly dusted her fingertips over the scar on his eye. "And this one? Any discomfort?"

"Pain flares up more often," he revealed reluctantly. "Maybe sometimes when the weather changes, the skin gets tight and I get a little bit of an ache… sometimes a sharp pain that shoots through my head every now and then."

Humming to herself, Katara summoned water from the carafe of drinking water that the housekeeping staff kept fresh in their bedrooms. She gloved her hands in her element and looked up at Zuko through her lashes. "May I?"

Zuko nodded and watched as she lowered her hands to his chest first. "Katara, these scars are years old," he began.

"I'm aware."

"Then why—"

"Let me take care of you," she said simply. "I have the ability to do this much. The scars are old but it's likely the nerves regenerated improperly, which can cause that sharp pain you were describing. Since I healed your chest wound relatively quickly and provided aftercare while you healed, there shouldn't have been too much damage or improper regeneration. But your eye… the burn penetrated deeper into the skin and likely caused more severe nerve damage and it definitely didn't heal properly."

While she spoke, her brow furrowed as she concentrated, her eyes catching the light of her healing. Zuko felt the cooling sensation of her healing hands glide from his chest to his eye and he let out a small gasp. As she healed him, the constant ache and tension he hadn't realized was always there melted away. It didn't hurt quite as much to open his left eye and the skin felt looser, more flexible. Katara had a pleased smile on her face and Zuko knew that she could feel what she had done. She pulled back and her smile widened proudly.

"There. How does that feel?"

With a crooked grin, Zuko teased, "As if you don't know. I didn't even realize all of that pain was there. I was just used to living with it."

Katara's expression sobered and she cast away the water to lean down and she looked him in the eye. "You don't have to live with it anymore. Not while I'm around."

When she kissed him, it wasn't a tentative exploration or hurried, needy act of passion. It was sure, affirming, and present. Soon enough, steady hands pulled at her sarashi and at his pants until they were both bare, Zuko rolling them over so that he caged her within his arms, allowing him the chance to cover her body in gentle caresses and languorous kisses. Katara moaned as his mouth closed over one of her nipples, her back arching off of the bed and her legs hooking around his waist. When she grinded against him, Zuko groaned and let his eyes screw shut, shuddering as she reached between them to grasp his length, stroking firmly with the perfect amount of pressure, having learned quickly from their previous times together.

"Two can play that game, little minx," Zuko warned.

He forced himself away from her hold and settled at the foot of the bed, grasping her inner thighs and pulling them apart, exposing her to him. When his warm breath hit her folds, Katara's head fell back and she whined in anticipation, attempting to buck her hips up towards him, but his hands held her down. After a chaste kiss at the top of her mound, Zuko kissed along her inner thighs, his teeth periodically nipping into the soft skin until the umber skin turned red.

"Zuko," she pleaded. "Please, I need you."

"What do you need, Katara?" Zuko asked, ignoring the way his own body ached. He continued to tease her, biting and kissing at her sensitive skin. "I need to hear it. What do you need from me?"

"I need you. I need— _Spirits_ ," she gasped as he licked along the inner crease of her left thigh, so close to where she wanted him.

"Come on, Katara. Just tell me," he crooned. Even though her eyes were closed, Katara could hear the smirk in his voice. "So pretty. Pretty and wet— just for me, isn't that right?"

"Zuko, please touch me. Please make me yours," she begged, her voice high and breathy.

"Look at me."

Katara managed to open her eyes, her lids heavy. She saw the bright gold of his eyes as Zuko laid between her spread legs, his lips curved into a handsome smirk, just as she predicted.

"Don't you know that you're already mine? I'll need to show you again then, won't I? Make sure that you know for certain," he said lowly, his voice warm and husky, sending shivers down her spine.

"Yes," Katara moaned. "Show me, please." She continued to try and fight against his hold, squirming for the relief her body was desperate for.

Then, she felt his mouth on her, the hot, wet length of his tongue lapping at her folds, and she arched off of the bed, crying out his name from the jolt of pleasure that surged through her. Zuko's hands held her thighs tightly as he held her open, licking into her and laving over her clit before he gently scraped the sensitive bud with his teeth. Katara's fingers sank into his raven strands, grinding against his face as she held him where she wanted, his tongue doing unspeakable things to her, wrecking her.

Zuko disentangled her hands from his hair and lifted his head to tell her, "Look at how good you are for me. So responsive and wet. All for me." His voice was low, almost a growl, and full of want.

"Zuko," she whimpered. "Yes, just for you, all yours."

As she babbled, Zuko rewarded her by returning his mouth to her core, diving back in with his tongue to capture as much of her taste as he could, closing his eyes as he savored the wetness spilling from her. And when he finally sucked on her clit, pushing her over the edge, he knew he succeeded in completely taking her apart by the way she keened and how her slick increased, making a mess of her thighs and him. He crawled up her body while she came down from her orgasm, running his hands up and down her sides soothingly.

Once she was able to open her eyes, Katara moaned again at the sight of him. Zuko's gold eyes were darker than usual, his pupils blown wide with desire. His mouth was wet from her and he had a satisfied grin curling his lips. Zuko admired the dazed expression on her face and kissed her deeply. Katara opened her mouth to him and when she tasted herself on his tongue, she whimpered with want.

He pulled back and grinned. "You liked that didn't you?"

She looked down to his cock, watching how he stroked himself slowly, the tip glistening. "Like you didn't," she returned.

Zuko's grin turned predatory. "Oh I definitely did, gorgeous. Tell me what you want," he commanded.

Her blue eyes flashed as he spoke, the cerulean darkening into storms. It dawned on Katara that Zuko, who had never had a semblance of something to call his own and keep for himself, finally found that sense of trust and security with her. A deep sense of comfort came over her as she realized that she was his safe harbor. And that she, who had always taken on the role of caretaker for everyone in her life, finally found and trusted someone to take the burden of responsibility away from her and care for her instead.

"I want you. Inside me. Please," she whispered.

Her words had an instantaneous effect on him. He kissed her passionately once more as he sank inside her in a single, swift thrust, one hand gripping her hip tightly as he moved against her. Once he was completely seated within her, he pulled back from the kiss with a harsh gasp and Katara cried out at how well they fit together. Zuko filled her so completely that she could feel him pulse and throb inside her. It was the most excruciating pleasure and she could only hang on as he gave her what she asked for, his pace increasing.

"One of these days, I'm going to get you to say you want my cock, verbatim," Zuko teased, his voice strained.

Katara's retort died in her throat, a moan escaping instead.

Katara loved the sound of Zuko's quickening breath in her ear, the huskiness of his groans and gasps, the way his body became hot and damp with his sweat. She rejoiced in the feeling of him within her, the waves of pleasure that tingled throughout her body with each of his thrusts. She knew that she'd already reached her peak once and her body was wrung out, but she also knew that Zuko would bring her there again, that he wouldn't ever give up until he succeeded in showing her how much she belonged to him and he to her.

He pulled her legs apart widely, hooking one of her legs in the crook of his elbow, opening her up and pressing impossibly deeper. He urged in her ear, "Katara. Come for me. You're so good, I know you can do it. You're perfect. So beautiful and tight and wet for me. It's like you were fucking made for me. Eyes on me, gorgeous. I want to look you in the eyes when I make you come."

As he spoke, Zuko rubbed his thumb directly over her clit, his eyes molten as he watched her.

" _Yes_ , Zuko—" her voice broke off in a rough gasp and her nails raked down his back as she arched up, her frame trembling as the throb of pleasure between her legs expanded and took over her entire body.

His orders pushed her over the edge and Zuko's rhythm stuttered as he felt her tense up, her core clenching tightly around him. White flashed behind his eyes and he roared as he thrusted into her, his hips jerking as he pressed their bodies as close as possible, his hands tight on her hips. Katara mewled at the feeling of him twitching and spilling within her and she welcomed the way he collapsed against her, the both of them panting.

Eventually, Zuko lifted his head and asked her, "Are you okay?"

When Katara could only hum, her eyes still closed and an expression of pure bliss on her face, Zuko grinned and nuzzled her face.

* * *

Katara smiled as she took a break from Bloodbending training to sit and read the letter that came from the Fire Nation. Toriq and Akna each offered Katara a gracious smile as they left the training courtyard in search of a drink in the midst of the afternoon heat. The two Northern healers had come with Katara to Yu Dao and were approaching the end of their second complete month of Bloodbending training with Katara, though the three of them had been in the city for close to ten weeks. They had taken some time to adjust and settle into their new residence as well as allow Katara time to create a schedule with the other council members for her duties as a councilmember. Regardless, Katara was proud to see that they were taking her tutelage seriously and had made great progress with the skill, now able to hold simple Bloodbending for a few minutes by their second full moon. But they still struggled with more advanced maneuvers and of course, couldn't yet Bloodbend on nights other than the full moon.

"Hey, Katara!"

Katara lifted her head to greet Haru as he entered the space with a group of his Earthbending class.

"Hi, Haru!" she greeted.

"Do you mind if we share the space with you today?"

"I'll probably take Toriq and Akna to the river to finish the rest of today's training so the courtyard is all yours."

"Great— we've got some exciting drills to work through. Wouldn't want an errant boulder to get in the way of your guys' training."

With light laughter, Katara affirmed, "Definitely sounds exciting." She rose from where she sat and headed out. "Enjoy and have a good class!"

As Katara walked, she unfolded the letter, settling down against her favorite tree to relax in its shade. She had been looking forward to this latest letter from Zuko, especially since it would be the last one that he would send before he arrived to Yu Dao for his first quarterly check in with Yu Dao's Fire Nation representative. He, along with her father, King Kuei, and Aang would arrive to see how the fledgling council was doing.

She sighed and rested her head against the tree's wide trunk. She knew logically that she would miss Zuko. Before they separated, she had thought that she was prepared for it, but she didn't realize just how badly she would miss him after spending nearly every day together for weeks in Ba Sing Se.

Her eyes scanned his neat calligraphy on the scroll and she could hear the rich, warm tones of his voice echoing in her mind. He wrote of the latest trivial court drama that he overheard from the servants in the halls. He wrote of his latest annoyance in the form of a nobleman named Yuto. And of course, he wrote of how much he wished she were with him and that he couldn't wait until next week when he'd see her in Yu Dao.

Zuko's letters were her tether, her reminder that she was not just the Chief's daughter or just the Avatar's ex or just the Water Tribe representative on the United Republic Council. That she wouldn't just slip away in the midst of teaching and working. He reminded her that while she had responsibilities to hold, she could also be happy while doing it.

Katara missed him with a deep ache that settled in her chest. But when she received a new letter, the pressure lessened just a bit. Each letter he sent helped keep her head afloat amidst the yearning that threatened to swallow her.

Of course, he never wrote anything about his conversation with his father that she knew he must have had by now. Toph left Yu Dao weeks ago, making preparations to leave as soon as Katara told her that Zuko needed her help. And Katara understood. That information was too sensitive to chance to a messenger hawk crossing the sea. She'd wait until he arrived and could tell her in person. But not knowing also gnawed at the back of her mind.

She sighed again and lowered the letter to her lap as she stared into the grassy field, finding the rumble of the nearby Earthbending students calming. She slightly dreaded going back to continue training Toriq and Akna. Between her work as a council member, teaching Bloodbending, and her missing Zuko, Katara was feeling a little exhausted. Ragged may be a better term. She found herself craving sleep more often and she had frequent headaches, likely due to the increased Bloodbending and the toll it was taking on her body. Sometimes, they got so bad that she didn't even have the stomach to eat a meal after a long day, the nausea prompting her to seek out her bed even more. Her body ached and she had to check her mood to make sure she wasn't snapping at anyone.

Zuko's voice reverberated in her memory and she almost laughed as she imagined him chiding her for not resting when she knew he was likely overworking himself just the same, if not more. With a glance at the bright sky, she decided to stroll to the nearby café in town where her two students would likely be finishing up their break.

As expected, the two Waterbenders looked up and waved at her as she approached.

"Master Katara," Toriq began. "Are we late to return?"

"Not at all. I was thinking… you two have been working really hard and I think that you could end training a bit early today. Haru and the Earthbenders have also taken over the courtyard and while we could work by the river, you and Akna deserve some time off. We can resume training tomorrow."

Akna's violet eyes widened excitedly. "That's so generous of you, Master Katara." She looked at Toriq with anticipation for a moment. "We were thinking of stopping by the town square to watch the remainder of the Firebending magicians' performance after training. Since training is done for the day, would you like to join us in watching the full performance?"

"That's kind of you to invite me, Akna, but I think I'll use the time to catch up on some rest. You two enjoy."

Toriq nodded. "Makes sense. You've been working hard. We'll see you tomorrow, Master Katara."

Katara waved at them and watched them head towards the bustling town square, where many families with young children crowded to watch the performers who were setting up for their act. Katara slowly made her way against the crowds towards the low rise building that her apartment was in. It was newly built and meant to house councilmembers as they served their yearlong term as well as visiting dignitaries. She was ready to crawl into bed but pulled up short when she saw the carriage in front of the building and her heart started to race just a bit. She could tell from the equipment that the carriage came from the Fire Nation.

"No…" she said to herself. "It's too early. It couldn't be."

But hope still swelled in her chest and she rushed in only to come to a stop when she saw Toph in the entrance hall. Katara tried to stamp down the disappointment as she _was_ excited to see Toph return to Yu Dao, but she couldn't help the tiny sigh that escaped her lips.

Toph noticed her arrival and called out, "Katara! I thought you'd still be teaching Toriq and Akna."

"I decided to give them a break today."

Toph scoffed. "Of course you did, Sugar Queen." Toph's face fell a bit at Katara's muted laughter and she pointed out bluntly, "You seem tired."

Rolling her eyes, Katara returned sarcastically, "It's so nice to have you back, too, Toph. I really missed you." She sighed and explained, "I just finished a day of council meetings and some Bloodbending training so yes, Toph, I'm tired."

"I'm serious."

"You sound like Zuko now." Katara nudged Toph with an elbow, "Tea at my place? You can fill me in on the Fire Nation."

"The Fire Nation or a certain man in the Fire Nation?" Toph drawled.

The younger woman followed the Waterbender as she meandered through the building to her apartment. Toph sat herself down at Katara's kitchen table, narrowing her eyes as she tracked Katara's movement within the space. Katara began boiling a kettle of water.

"You're the one who must be exhausted, Toph. I thought you would have come back to Yu Dao with Zuko. And Zuko didn't mention anything in his latest letter—"

"Katara, what's going on?"

Katara turned to stare at Toph in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"There's something different. I can't… something's changed. It's not right."

"In Yu Dao? Nothing's happened here. The people are happy. Our students are adjusting and learning… I'm not sure I know what you're talking about, Toph."

"Something's not right with _you_ ," Toph clarified.

Some of the anxiousness left Katara's face and she turned back to the kettle to bend the water into two teacups. She shrugged off Toph's concern. "I'm tired. You weren't wrong about that. I'm also adjusting to… well I guess everything. A new home. A new job. New students. New curriculum to teach. New, new, new."

A crease appeared between Toph's brows and she gestured at a chair. Katara got the hint and sat down next to the Earthbender, sliding the second teacup towards her.

"Besides tired, do you feel okay?"

"I thought I was the healer here."

"Can you just answer the question?" Toph snapped.

Humoring her, Katara answered, "I'm not just tired. I'm drained. Sometimes, I get these headaches but it's likely from all of the stress. Sometimes, the training makes me achy everywhere. I'm just not getting enough rest. But once everything settles and routines are in place, I'm sure I'll feel better."

"That doesn't make sense," Toph muttered.

"Toph, _what_ doesn't make sense?" Katara demanded, exasperation coloring her voice.

"I can sense… it feels like your heartbeat is off. It's like there's a strange backdrop or murmur to the usual cadence."

Katara frowned. "My heart? But there's nothing— I think I would know if there was something wrong with me." She lifted her teacup to her lips and as she took her first sip, she gasped and dropped the cup, the porcelain clattering loudly onto the table. Katara had just managed to bend the tea so that the scalding liquid didn't spill on her. She immediately cast it into her sink.

Startled, Toph's eyes widened. "Katara?" she asked nervously.

"Spirits…"

"Katara!"

"The _tea_."

Katara's mind flashed back to Ba Sing Se and her last morning there. The frazzled way she was rushing around the house, packing before her carriage arrived. They had uncharacteristically slept in so she was running late and she wanted to make sure that she had time to see Zuko off since he would be leaving before her to return to the Fire Nation. A cup of tea that she was supposed to drink was left untouched in the kitchen.

"Your _tea_? What the hell does your tea have to do with anything?"

"Toph… the strangeness with my heartbeat." Katara closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Instead of an anomaly with _my_ heartbeat… Could it possibly be a second heartbeat?"

Toph reared back. "A second heartbeat? How on earth— oh _Spirits_. Katara, do you mean to tell me that—"

Katara snapped, "I don't know, you're the one telling me my heartbeat is strange!" She held her head in her hands. "I'm sorry, Toph, I shouldn't have… I have no idea how this happened."

"What do you mean, you don't know how this happened? You didn't notice that you missed two cycles since Ba Sing Se?"

"But I _didn't_. I bled the first month— it was lighter than usual, but I've been so stressed, that I didn't even think about it. Skipping a cycle... It's happened before so... It's normal... I… I mean, I _can't_ be, Toph. Not now. I'm not… this isn't…"

Her face softening, Toph said quietly. "I hate to break it to you, Sweetness, but I think that you are. Give yourself a check. It's too faint for me to give any real confirmation. I've never heard a pregnant woman's heartbeat this early. It just feels like a strange echo to me."

Katara lifted her head. "I'm scared," she admitted in a small voice. "This isn't how it's supposed to happen."

Toph pushed, though with unusual gentleness, "But it might have happened and you need to know for sure before you work yourself up." Toph reached across the table to take Katara's hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "Nothing good will come from avoiding it. And you're not alone."

With a shaky breath, Katara cloaked her free hand in water, the familiar blue glow causing fear to settle deep in her abdomen. She had never feared her healing ability before, but the possible revelation it would reveal terrified her to her core. She looked towards Toph and Toph instinctively squeezed her hand again. She took another deep breath to settle her nerves as much as possible and placed her hand on her lower belly. Once she extended her awareness, she knew.

She could feel the extra flow of chi, the diversion of her energy towards the new life growing in her womb. She thought back to her last real period, halfway through her stay in Ba Sing Se. And instinctively, she knew she was ten weeks. The amount of time since Ba Sing Se. Toph wouldn't have been able to know when she first left for the Fire Nation nearly a month ago. Katara jerked her hand away and could feel herself tremble.

Toph knew as soon as she felt Katara's shift in breathing, before the older woman's frame began to shake. "Katara, it's okay."

"I don't know how it can be. I'm twenty years old. I have nothing solid in my life. I just told you how everything in my life is new and unsure and— I can't be pregnant, Toph."

Toph's face fell and she seemed to chew over her words. Quietly, she said, "I guess you could _not_ be… if that's what you wanted."

Katara froze and stared at her friend with wide eyes, her jaw slack. She jerked her hand from Toph's and held her arms protectively over her stomach, a deep instinct taking over her. "How can you even—" she began, her voice shrill. Cutting herself off, Katara took a deep breath and blinked to try and stave off her oncoming tears. "Toph, this is my..."

Continuing to speak with an uncanny gentleness, Toph replied, "The choice is yours, Katara. I just want you know to know that you have one and that you're not stuck. Whatever you decide is valid and I'll support you."

Katara took a shuddering breath. "I don't feel right making the decision on my own. I have to tell…" Her voice trailed off uncertainly.

Toph sighed. "I can figure out who the father is, Katara. I just spent three weeks with him and you know as well as I do that he's not very good at lying to me. I was happy to find out that you're officially dating."

"We're dating," Katara said numbly. "I told him I wanted to take it slow. And now? He's going to hate me."

"Katara, he won't hate you. But he does need to know as soon as possible."

"You think I don't realize that? Of course I'm going to tell him when he gets here. But what happens after his visit this month? I can't exactly have him leave the Fire Nation to come here or drop everything that I'm working on in Yu Dao to go run to him." Katara's voice broke and she finally let the tears that blurred her vision run down her face. She threw her arms out. "You think that I don't feel like an idiot right now? Like a stupid, stupid little girl who just ruined everything she had going for herself? And for Zuko?!"

"Katara, you didn't ruin anyone's life," Toph insisted. She heaved another sigh. "Zuko needs to be told sooner rather than later, though. So don't pig chicken out of it when he shows up. Maybe you'd feel better asking Suki for advice. I know I'm not exactly the expert on girly things like this."

Katara sniffled and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Toph. You're being an amazing friend. And as much as I want Suki's advice, I don't want this getting to Sokka yet. He'd flip out and I can't handle him freaking out on top of me freaking out. On top of Zuko probably freaking out." She rubbed her face tiredly. "You're right, of course. I need to tell Zuko face to face."

Her jaw shifting, Toph sighed and eventually revealed, "He wanted it to be a surprise, but he'll be coming earlier than planned. He told me that he wanted the extra time to spend with you without having to worry about official business. That's why I'm back early. To make sure that you don't overbook yourself so that you'd also have free time to spend with him."

Her heart soared and ached at the same time from the thoughtful gesture. Shaking her head again, Katara bemoaned, "I really messed things up, didn't I, Toph?"

"No, Sweetness. You didn't mess up anything." Toph ventured a small smile. "Think of it as a new challenge for you and Sparky to overcome. You two always do well when you work together."

Turning her watery gaze to meet Toph's pale eyes, Katara weakly agreed, "We do." With a sigh, she asked, "When is he arriving?"

"He should be here by tomorrow evening. He was getting everything ready when I left three days ago. I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up arriving earlier." Toph gave a melancholy smile. "He really wanted to see you. Also wanted to fill you in on the conversation he had with Ozai."

Katara groaned. "Damn it. How in the world am I going to spring this on him on top of _that_?" She eyed Toph and asked, "The conversation with his father… did it—"

"Zuko should be here before we talk about it. But… it is a lot for Zuko to consider."

At Katara's long silence, Toph, asked, "Katara? Are you okay?"

"I'm sorry, Toph," Katara said timidly. "I just don't know what to do." A tear rolled down her cheek and she confessed with a tiny voice, "I wish my mom was here."

The petite Earthbender nodded in understanding and wrapped her arms around Katara's shoulders, hugging her tightly.

The next afternoon, Katara found herself in her favorite spot, just outside of the compound that was built for Toph's Earthbending school, leaning against her usual tree by the water's edge as she stared at the river's slow moving current, close enough that she could dip her toes in if she wanted. After a morning of council meetings, she cancelled Bloodbending training again, Toriq and Akna agreeing to the day off with equal looks of confusion. She let her mind wander as she traced the water's movement with her eyes. Before she knew it, the bright sky had darkened to a fiery blend of orange and purple and the town was dotted with lamplight. When she heard rustling behind her, she whirled around defensively.

Her mouth fell open as she let out a relieved sigh and she scrambled to her feet. Zuko stood at the river's edge with her, not dressed in his Fire Lord robes for once, a shy smile on his face as his eyes found hers. Katara nearly tripped in her haste to fling herself into his arms. As soon as she was within his embrace, felt his warmth on her skin, and the clean, masculine scent of sandalwood filled her nose, tears began to stream down her face.

Zuko's lips were pressed in her hair as he laughed. "I missed you too, Katara." When he pulled back to look at her, his joyful smile fell immediately and he asked in concern, "Katara?"

"I have to tell you something."


	15. Chapter 15

_Last Time…_

_The next afternoon, Katara found herself in her favorite spot, just outside of the compound that was built for Toph's Earthbending school, leaning against her usual tree by the water's edge as she stared at the river's slow moving current, close enough that she could dip her toes in if she wanted. After a morning of council meetings, she cancelled Bloodbending training again, Toriq and Akna agreeing to the day off with equal looks of confusion. She let her mind wander as she traced the water's movement with her eyes. Before she knew it, the bright sky had darkened to a fiery blend of orange and purple and the town was dotted with lamplight. When she heard rustling behind her, she whirled around defensively._

_Her mouth fell open as she let out a relieved sigh and she scrambled to her feet. Zuko stood at the river's edge with her, not dressed in his Fire Lord robes for once, a shy smile on his face as his eyes found hers. Katara nearly tripped in her haste to fling herself into his arms. As soon as she was within his embrace, felt his warmth on her skin, and the clean, masculine scent of sandalwood filled her nose, tears began to stream down her face._

_Zuko's lips were pressed in her hair as he laughed. "I missed you too, Katara." When he pulled back to look at her, his joyful smile fell immediately and he asked in concern, "Katara?"_

_"I have to tell you something."_

* * *

His brow furrowed in confusion and he shook his head. "Katara, it's okay. Whatever it is, it's okay," he assured her.

When his arms pulled her back in, strong and steady, Katara was so tired that she didn't have the energy to resist. Her eyes and face were sticky with salt and her throat felt raw. Zuko didn't dare move until Katara's breathing had steadied.

Eventually, she asked, "Can we talk at my place?"

"Of course."

Since they had to walk through town before getting to the building that housed Katara's apartment, the two separated and walked side-by-side at an appropriate distance. Zuko could feel Katara's eyes glance towards his face and he fought the urge to meet hers, keeping his gaze forward and his expression impassive. They nodded in acknowledgement to the various townspeople that greeted them. She led him into her building, grateful that since it was the dinner rush, everyone would already be home or out so the entrance hall was empty. They surreptitiously made their way into Katara's apartment and she let him in first while she closed the door behind them. She lingered by the entrance, nervously chewing on her bottom lip and letting silence fill the space between them.

"Katara, did I make a bad call? Should I not have come early?" Zuko's face was tight with anxiety and he began to pace in her small kitchen. "Agni, I should've known that I'd be disrupting you. I just missed you so damn much and I wanted to see you sooner and tell you what happened with my father—"

"No, Zuko, I'm so happy that you're here."

Zuko froze and looked up, his mouth half open as she interrupted his rambling. "You are?"

Katara nodded mutely.

Zuko frowned at her in puzzlement. "Then, what's going on?"

"Can you please sit down?"

"Not until you explain why you're so upset."

"I need you to sit down. The way you're pacing is putting me on edge and I'm worried you might let your anger get the best of you without meaning to. And I don't want your temper setting off _my_ temper."

Golden eyes narrowed but the tone of decisiveness in Katara's voice had Zuko sitting down at her kitchen table rigidly. Katara took a deep breath and sat next to him.

"I…" Katara looked up, and instead of revealing the news outright, she pivoted, asking, "Zuko, we agreed that no matter what, we'd still be best friends right?"

Zuko blinked. "Yes…" he said hesitantly.

Katara could see the thoughts on his face as his mind raced, the panic settling in his expression. She hurried to cut him off but he asked brokenly, "Do you want to end this? Us?"

"No. No, of course not," Katara said emphatically. She fidgeted uncomfortably and her shoulders slumped as she sighed. "Zuko, I don't know how to put this gently, so I'm just going to say it, okay?" She took another grounding breath and closed her eyes. "I— I'm pregnant."

Katara opened her eyes and watched Zuko carefully after she got the words out, noting how the color drained from his already pale face and how his hand tightened around hers. Zuko sat unmoving, his face blank. Katara's chest tightened and her stomach rolled with anxiety. "Zuko?" she prodded.

"You're… pregnant," he finally said, his voice small. He stared at her in disbelief, his heart pounding, the sound of his blood rushing echoing in his ears. Zuko felt as though the ground beneath him had given way.

Katara began to explain in a rush, "I haven't seen another healer to confirm yet. But Toph told me when she came back from the Fire Nation yesterday Or at least she brought it up. She was worried that something was wrong because she said there was something off with my heartbeat." After a quick breath, she quickly added, "But it wasn't my heartbeat at all. My heartbeat is fine. The strangeness she was sensing… It was a second heartbeat along with mine… the baby's."

"You're pregnant," Zuko said again.

Frowning in bemusement, Katara replied, "I… yes. I-it's very likely. I should still see another healer just to get a second opinion and confirm," she said slowly. "But I wanted to tell you first."

His voice was weak as he replied, "I'm going to be a father?"

Katara's head spun from the simultaneous look of fear and hope in his eyes. She couldn't get a clear read of how he felt. "Um… yes? This baby is yours. Obviously," she added carefully, still unsure of how Zuko felt about the news.

Blinking, Zuko shook his head. "How did this— Katara, you're the best healer in the world," Zuko said matter-of-factly.

"I would think that you'd remember how this happened," Katara retorted sharply.

Zuko glared at her but the glare quickly fell as he ran his hand through his hair. "Of _course_ I know how," he grit out. "But Katara, you're a damn Waterbender. And I thought you were drinking that tea! Did you plan to get pregnant?"

Katara took in a sharp breath, clearly appalled at his suggestion. "Do you really think I'm capable of something so conniving? And you could've pulled out so that I wouldn't have to remember to bend anything out in the first place," she bit back heatedly. "We're both at fault here."

"I thought we were being careful enough. Katara, I _just_ got my country back to some semblance of structure and order. I barely have time to take care of myself! How the hell am I supposed to take care of a child?"

"You think I can? Because I'm a woman? I had plans, too, Zuko! I wanted to do more and I can't exactly do that with a baby strapped to my back the entire time. I didn't plan on getting tied down this early!"

The two glowered at each other, their chests heaving. After a few moments of tense silence, Zuko watched Katara's face crumple and she sank back into her chair, the fire leaving her eyes as she covered the miserable expression on her face with her hands. Zuko hadn't even realized that he also shot out of his chair and was towering over her. His stomach dropped as he realized as he had done what Katara predicted and let his temper get the best of him. He lowered down, kneeling in front of Katara. He tentatively reached out a hand, gauging Katara's body language carefully. She peeked out from behind her hands and her gaze softened, though it remained wary. Zuko placed his hand on her knee, hoping she'd understand what he couldn't say as he stared the floor shamefully.

Quietly, she asked, "Don't you think that I feel like a complete _failure_ right now? This happened because of two reasons: I'm either not competent enough to bend everything out or I'm not competent enough to remember to drink a damn cup of tea. Or both for all I know. Because I got so swept up in what we have… had?"

Zuko's head jerked up to look at her, his face paling again. "Had"? he croaked out.

She closed her eyes and exhaled forcefully through her nose. "I'm only human, Zuko. So are you. Do you think this is how I imagined telling the father of my child that I was pregnant? Because to be perfectly honest, it's not. This wasn't part of that plan and I'm freaking out and _terrified_ —"

Immediately, Zuko felt a crushing wave of shame come over him and he cut in firmly, "You're not a failure. You're not stupid. You're right and I shouldn't have said that or accused you. I don't know what the hell came over me."

Katara's shoulders rose as she hunched and curled in on herself protectively. "You're scared, too. You're doing such great work for the Fire Nation and I know how hard you've worked and I've ruined it."

He swept back errant curls from her face and locked eyes with her. "We're both responsible here. And who knows? You still could have gotten pregnant even with precautions. It doesn't matter how we got here. We're here and we have to deal with it. And you're not the only one who got caught up in what we shared in Ba Sing Se…" Zuko's heart pounded in his chest. "What I still feel."

He could see the moment of relief in her cerulean depths when Katara found the sincerity in his amber eyes.

"I don't know what to do," she admitted, looking down and gesturing at her stomach. "This is not exactly the adventure I was imagining or looking for at the moment."

Zuko continued to stroke her hair soothingly and nodded understandingly. "Me, neither," he agreed. "But I am ready to be there in any way you want me to be."

"What should we do?"

Zuko pulled back, raised an eyebrow, and spoke carefully. "It's your body, Katara, I could never tell you what to do with it."

Katara eyed him dubiously. "Didn't seem that way the night this baby was conceived."

He couldn't help but crack a lopsided grin. "Always looking for a fight," he murmured tenderly. He gave her a quick kiss, a chaste press of their lips, but the affectionate gesture seemed to soothe Katara enough.

Katara insisted stubbornly, "Perhaps, but while it's my body, this is _our_ baby, Zuko. I didn't want to make this decision without you present. I couldn't do that. I don't want you to feel like you're being forced into this, like I trapped you. You're right— there's so much on your plate. And adding a baby born out of wedlock to a Water Tribe commoner isn't exactly something that will be easily accepted by your people. I don't want you to feel like you have to do the honorable thing because I already know that you would, even if you didn't want this baby. And I can't let you do that for us. I can have this baby alone and we'd be happy and safe in the Southern Water Tribe if you don't want anything to do with it. You wouldn't even have to acknowledge it—"

Blinking at the rapid-fire speech coming out of Katara, her words slowly sank in and Zuko suddenly felt like the room was spinning. Zuko interjected pointedly, anger evident in his tone, "I thought I get a say in this?"

Katara stopped short and responded meekly, "You do."

"Then I'd appreciate if you let me speak for myself. You're getting worked up over your overthinking rather than over anything I've actually said. I'm still taking it in… I mean…"

Zuko laughed humorlessly, the sound somehow only slightly hysterical. He sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face. "This isn't the way I wanted to tell you, but I want you to know so you don't think that I'm being entrapped or coerced or whatever nonsense is running through your mind."

"Tell me _what_?" Katara demanded, her tone slightly sour by his flippancy.

"I love you."

"You— what?" Katara had been ready to counter the logical point she was sure he was going to make. But she found that she didn't want to offer a rebuttal for what he just told her.

"I love you, Katara." Zuko's voice was soft, unbelievably tender. "I'm in love with you. I have a feeling that you already knew that, but I want you to hear it from me. I want you to know it, not just have a suspicion. And I'm not just saying this because you're pregnant with my child and it's the honorable thing to do. If I wanted to do the honorable thing, I'd just demand we get married right now, whether I loved you or not. But I'm not and I won't. Because I know you're not ready for it."

Katara's eyebrow raised and filed his last few sentences away in her mind.

"Because it's not the _honorable_ _thing_ to be in love with you. Falling in love with you was as easy as breathing."

"You love me?" Katara questioned in disbelief.

"I do. And I felt this way before you told me you were pregnant with my child. You can ask my uncle and your brother if you don't believe me because I told them I loved you back in Ba Sing Se. And I'll feel this way no matter what we decide to do. So don't be afraid that you're going to hurt me or lose me. I'm here. I'm with you. I'm yours."

Katara's eyes turned glassy and she threw herself out of her seat and into Zuko's arms, throwing him off balance. He let out a grunt and quickly caught the both of them so that he wouldn't put any weight on Katara when they fell to the floor. They were sprawled on Katara's kitchen floor, with Katara on top of Zuko while she grasped his face, her hands fisting in his shirt to bring him in for a long kiss. Zuko nipped at her full bottom lip, groaning when she opened up for him, allowing him to deepen the kiss, his hand entangling itself in the mass of hair at the nape of her neck while his other arm tightened around her waist to pull her close.

"I think this is how we ended up with our baby," Katara teased breathlessly once she pulled up for air. She sat back to allow Zuko the chance to sit up, but he held onto her, readjusting her so that she settled more comfortably in his lap when he lifted himself up into a seated position, one of his hands splayed across her lower back, the other still embracing the back of her neck. Katara couldn't help but smile at the sight of the Fire Lord sitting with her on the kitchen floor of her tiny apartment, looking at her like she was his whole world.

Zuko gulped. "You keep referring to it as our baby. And not just in a clinical sense."

Katara froze and her smile disappeared. "I am," she hedged.

"It seems like you've already chosen what you want to do then," he suggested.

"I… I guess I have." Katara hurried to add, "But I want to know how you truly feel and make the decision together."

Zuko told her meaningfully, with no hesitation to his voice, "I said that it's your body and your choice, Katara. To be honest, I couldn't imagine not letting this pregnancy continue. But if you weren't ready and that's what you wanted, I'd support you. If we decide to go through with it, which I'm thinking we both want, you will _not_ cut me out of my child's life. I will be a part of it. I _want_ to be a part of it."

Katara took several breaths to calm the flutterbats in her stomach before confirming, "You want to have this baby?"

"I want to have this baby with you," Zuko affirmed. "I want it so much it hurts to think that you'll take it away from me and that I won't be there for it."

"As long as it's what you want, I could never keep the baby from you. Truth be told… I don't understand how you're being so calm."

His lips twisting into an ironic half-smile, Zuko returned, "You mean after I was being a dick and accused you of planning it? If I'm being honest, neither do I. I might just be in shock, but I'm also terrified."

"We'll figure it out," she said reassuringly.

He saw how Katara's entire mood lifted but then fell just as quickly. "I should mention that it's still early…"

"Early?"

"Depending on how you look at it, the baby's fetal age is ten weeks from probable conception, but twelve weeks in gestational age from my last cycle. Either way, the first trimester is crucial in a pregnancy's viability. There's a chance that," her face contorted into a grimace, "I could lose the baby. It happens more often than most people think."

Zuko stiffened. He hadn't thought of that and there was a sudden flare of pain that tightened his chest and made it harder to breathe. Closing his eyes against the thought, he told her, "We handle whatever comes our way together."

Katara's face turned stricken. "We still haven't talked about what happened with your father and what that will mean—"

He pressed his lips together, but he jerked his head once, effectively cutting Katara off. With no uncertainty in his voice, he told her, "For right now, I want to be happy with you and celebrate our baby. We can talk about that tomorrow with Toph."

Katara stared into his golden gaze resolutely. Zuko felt his own smile carve its way onto his face after seeing the one that lit up Katara's face. He belatedly realized that the taste of salt on his lips was from his tears, but he couldn't be bothered to be embarrassed because Katara was also smiling through her tears. Her face was open and joyful, the same look mirrored in her blue eyes. He leaned down and gently pressed his lips against hers, coming away with a tender smile.

"We're having a baby," Katara said, wonder awash on her face.

Zuko nodded and his grin widened. "We're having a baby."

* * *

Zuko arrived at the training compound after a brief, unofficial meeting with the Fire Nation councilman. He knew the councilman was surprised to see Zuko since he was a few days early and Zuko didn't intend to use this time for work, but since Katara was busy, he figured he'd get a head start.

He watched as Katara bid goodbye to Toriq and Akna, signaling the end of their Bloodbending training. While Akna had paid his unexpected visit no mind, Toriq raised an eyebrow at him knowingly. Zuko resisted the urge to wipe the smug smirk off of the male Waterbender's face with a well-aimed fire punch in favor of greeting his favorite Waterbender, who approached him with a warm smile that immediately removed thoughts of Toriq from his mind.

"Good class?"

"Very. But I'm tired." Katara saw how Zuko immediately furrowed his brow and she quickly told him, "That's completely normal and nothing to be worried about. To be honest, I thought it was normal before realizing I was pregnant."

"You should—"

"I'm taking it easy, Zuko. Trust me."

He didn't look any less anxious, but Zuko nodded and together, they walked out in the direction of Katara's apartment, where Toph would be waiting for them. After a night of snuggling and soft kisses as they privately celebrated Katara's pregnancy, they knew they'd have to discuss Zuko's conversation with Ozai eventually. Katara's stomach turned in knots at the thought of what the former Fire Lord might have planned. As they approached her building and walked through the halls to her apartment, they saw Toph alone in the hallway, waiting at Katara's door, her lips pursed.

"Well if it isn't the proud parents-to-be," she drawled, hesitation slightly coloring her tone.

Instead of the panic and anxiety they thought Toph's comment would incite, both Katara and Zuko instead found themselves taking her teasing in stride, filling with joy at the title. Toph smiled more relaxedly. "I guess this means there'll be a little Sugar Prince or Princess joining us."

Katara grinned and nodded in confirmation. "Hopefully."

"Congratulations."

Fighting the telling sting behind her eyes, Katara cleared her throat, quietly thanking Toph, and unlocked her apartment, ushering them in behind her. As soon as they sat at her kitchen table, Katara sighed and raised a dark eyebrow at Zuko.

"Putting it off won't make it any easier."

"I guess I should preface this by saying that for the last ten years, I've been almost certain that my mother is dead." He did not miss Katara's sharp intake of breath.

"The circumstances of my mother's disappearance have always been hazy… I remember her visiting me in my room in the middle of the night, the night of my grandfather Azulon's death. But the memory is so muddled that I couldn't be sure that it wasn't a dream. From the time that she disappeared until the Day of Black Sun, I was almost sure that she was dead." He frowned as he recalled, "Then, on the Day of Black Sun, when I confronted my father, he taunted me, telling me that there was a chance that my mother was still alive. It was the first time he mentioned her since she had disappeared and I finally had confirmation that it was possible to find her again. When I questioned him after Aang defeated him, he told me nothing else and refused to answer. I gave up asking him after two years and he's remained silent for the entirety of the last five years. Until I received his message."

"So what's changed?"

"When we finally went to his cell, he refused to speak or say anything on the matter until I met two conditions: that Toph leave and that I agree to Azula's release."

Katara reared back. "Azula?"

Azula's fate and whereabouts had been the group's best-kept secret. They knew that Ozai's supporters couldn't be allowed to know where the Fire Nation Princess was kept in fear that it would incite a coup and worse, it would cause severe regression for the unstable princess. After Katara defeated her during Sozin's comet, they had kept her in a secret, separate cell built by Toph until Sokka and Katara could ensure her secure travel to the Northern Water Tribe. Not even the council elders of the Northern Water Tribe knew. They had only told Iroh and Pakku in order to get their help as members of the Order of the White Lotus in constructing something that would keep Azula and her rigorously-tested caretakers safe from Azula's unpredictable outbursts. Yugoda was the only healer Katara trusted to visit Azula for healing sessions and meditation, far away in the tundra, away from Agna Qel'a, the Northern capital.

"I don't know why he's so interested in her. I mean, obviously, she's his favorite, but that's still not saying much. It's not like my father particularly cared for either of us beyond what use we may be. I also don't know why he's chosen _now_ to ask for her. You would think that he'd demand her right after the end of the war."

"Which leads us to believe that there has to have been a leak and that there's also traitor in Zuko's cabinet that's feeding information to Ozai somehow," Toph concluded. "The timing is strange, too. Ozai opens his mouth for the first time in years after news of Zuko helping to create a new nation? After Zuko helps you pass groundbreaking legislature regarding the teaching of a new, elite bending skill? Something's up. Zuko's latest successes must have triggered something."

Katara hummed thoughtfully as she digested the information. "What else did Ozai say?"

"After I refused his demands? He said I broke the terms of the agreement he set since I brought Toph. Called me a dishonorable bastard for it. Apparently, I couldn't even follow simple instructions," he said coolly.

Anger turned Katara's blood hot. The kettle in her kitchen began to whistle.

"Whoa there, Sugar Queen. Zuko's a big boy. Mean words aren't worth getting worked up over."

Katara huffed and asked them, "Did he say _anything_?"

"Besides demanding Azula's release? He threatened to destroy everything I hold dear and that my time as a pretender on the throne would come to a swift end. And that if I stepped down willingly, he might show mercy and offer a fast death. So, no. He didn't say anything. But he implied plenty about the possibility of a coup and attempt on my life."

Cerulean orbs narrowed into a dark glare. "I'm going to—" Katara growled.

"Do _nothing_. It's not just your safety we have to think about." Zuko looked pointedly at her stomach and Katara reluctantly deflated, though the heat in her stare didn't lessen. "As strong as you are, this little one isn't quite there yet. You're not as invincible as you were."

"Here's what we know: The former Loser Lord wants Azula released so badly, he's willing to give up his only leverage, which is Ursa's location. We can also be sure that he's not demanding Azula's release to make sure she can live out the rest of her days sunbathing on Ember Island. He wants to use her."

"Aang took away his Firebending. He must be willing to bet that Azula would still do his bidding for him," Zuko theorized.

Katara raised her eyebrows. "He betrayed her and left her for dead during Sozin's comet. How can he think that she would still follow his lead?"

Zuko frowned darkly. "Because she did for fourteen years and continued to do so even after he betrayed her and left her behind to become the Phoenix King. _I_ went back to him after a childhood of neglect and abuse. Ozai knows he has power over her. And no matter how much work Azula's done in the last few years with her rehab, her progress is still too fragile. "

"So we protect Azula and keep her away from him and any of his followers. I'll write to Pakku immediately so he can warn the White Lotus."

"Azula can't know," Zuko said instantly.

"No," Katara agreed, "She can't. They have to increase security carefully or else her suspicions will rise and it might trigger a psychotic break. But how do we know this isn't a sick manipulation by Ozai? Does he actually know where Ursa is or is this information the last scrap of power he has over you two?

"He knows," Toph muttered quietly. "The bastard knows and he won't tell us unless he sees Azula in front of him. I can confirm it."

"So we're just stuck?"

"Not exactly."

"Toph," Zuko warned.

"There's something else he's willing to trade the information for."

"Then why don't we just opt for that? It can't be as bad as letting him get to Azula."

"Toph, I told you not to—" Zuko growled.

"Well he actually wants to see you."

Katara's eyes widened impossibly. "Me? What could he want with me?"

"Damn it, Toph!" Zuko yelled, his hand slamming onto the table. Katara jumped but to her credit, Toph remained still. His face was twisted as he snapped at the Earthbender, hissing, "I told you that wasn't an option. I'm not letting my father get anywhere near Katara. _Especially_ now."

"Zuko if I wasn't your girlfr—"

Gold eyes flashed dangerously. "No, Katara, I'd still be this protective over you even if we weren't dating because my father is evil and vindictive and ruthless. That argument won't work here. What ifs don't matter because the reality is that you _are_ my girlfriend and I love you and you're carrying our child and there's no way in fucking hell that I'd let that bastard hurt either of you." He met her eyes meaningfully. "I know that this is hard for you to accept but I can't let you get too involved, not at the cost of your safety or the baby's."

"So what? Do you intend on just keeping me in the dark? Staring out the window wondering when you'll come visit?"

"Why are you being so stubborn about this?" Zuko snapped.

" _Me_? You're being more obstinate than a buffalo yak right now! Just because I'm pregnant, that doesn't make me an invalid."

"Katara, don't be selfish. This is about more than your capabilities. It's never been about your capabilities— I know how strong you are. But our baby isn't yet and it needs you alive and safe to protect it. Even without you eager to run off and fight, didn't you say that there's a chance we could lose it? That this time is critical and all precautions need to be taken? How can you even _think_ of putting our baby in harm's way?"

Katara reared back from his tirade, his voice ringing in her ears. She saw how Toph's brow furrowed in concern and the look of shock on Zuko's face as his words registered for him. He looked remorseful and opened his mouth in what Katara imagined would be a sincere apology but she shook her head.

"No, Zuko, don't. You're right. I have to remember that there's something more important to prioritize now. I know logically that this is the safest option, but somehow I feel like… like I'm not being helpful and that I'm just a burden for you now. And that everything you were afraid of is just coming to fruition."

She looked up and saw how Zuko stared at her with an unreadable expression on his face. Without breaking eye contact, he asked Toph, "Do you mind giving us a moment?"

Toph stood and quietly made her way to the door. As she passed Katara, she placed a hand on the older woman's shoulder comfortingly. "I'll give you more than a moment. I've said my piece and I'm not needed here anymore. I'll see you two tomorrow to continue discussing next steps," was all she said, knowing that whatever words were going to be said weren't meant for her ears.

Once the quiet click of the door broke the silence, Zuko stood from his seat and walked towards the window in Katara's living room, the glow of the lanterns outside casting shadows on his stoic expression. He crossed his arms and shook his head regretfully. "You're right."

Arching an eyebrow, Katara replied, "I am? Sure doesn't feel like it."

"This is everything I was afraid of… but _worse_."

Katara's stomach dropped. Her body felt heavy and she couldn't lift herself out of her seat to walk to him, stuck in place.

"What should be one of the most joyous moments of my life… my father has somehow managed to ruin. He's in a fucking cell and he can still get to me somehow! There's a traitor in my cabinet. There is a plan to overthrow me. All the work that's been accomplished with Azula. _You_. He's managed to snake his way into everything that is good in my life and taint it. I've taken everything that's been thrown at me so far but I don't know how to handle this. I don't know when it's going to end. If it'll ever end."

He turned over his shoulder to meet her with forlorn eyes. "He's already ruined my family once. I can't allow him to do it again. You have to know that all I want is to make sure that the two of you are safe."

"Do… do you know why Ozai is requesting to see me?"

"My instinct and my fear tell me that he made that request because he suspects a relationship between us and that this will unnerve me the most. Logically... you're the best healer in the world. News of your Bloodbending initiative may have reached him. And he might be trying to reverse what Aang did."

Katara's eyes widened. "He thinks I can reinstate his Firebending? He's insane."

Zuko smiled coldly, a dark shadow flashing in his eyes. "Something like that," he muttered. "He's _desperate_. Which makes him even more dangerous. A big part of me hopes that's his only motivation for wanting to meet you. You'd be useful to him and that makes you safer than if he knew we're together."

Katara had remained the only member of the team who had not met the former Fire Lord. She absolutely refused to at the end of the war and it was universally agreed that there was no purpose to it. Ozai's trial was immediate and his sentencing even faster.

"Do you really think that he knows about us?"

"He might. He can't hurt you from his cell… but whoever is helping him… until I figure out who it is, the Fire Nation isn't safe for you. You can't come."

Katara's face fell but she nodded understandingly. "We knew that we'd have to spend time apart."

"But…" Zuko's voice trailed off, but Katara knew what words were unspoken between them.

_But what about the baby?_

Rising from her seat to meet him, Katara told him sadly, "I want you to be a part of this experience as much as possible, but I can't possibly ask you to come to Yu Dao more often than necessary. It would raise suspicion."

Reluctantly, Zuko agreed, "And put you two in even more danger."

Katara hugged her arms and shook her head in disbelief. "This isn't fair," she mumbled, blinking back the tears that were filling her eyes. She hastily scrubbed a fist against her eyes to try and staunch them. She cried out in frustration. "Spirits, my damn hormones!"

Zuko reached out and took hold of her wrist to tug her towards him. Weakly, he joked, "Don't blame the baby. You've always cried at the smallest thing."

She huffed lightly and gave him a watery smile.

He stroked her hair. "My uncle will be in Yu Dao by the end of day tomorrow. I asked him to take a detour here before going back to Ba Sing Se. I intended for it to be a relaxing visit for him, but we can take the opportunity to ask him what he thinks is best."

"You should probably drink my tea for me in case he found some more cactus extract. That can't be good for the baby." Katara's mouth quirked upwards. "Iroh will be ecstatic to learn that he's having a grandchild."

Zuko grinned at her before pulling her in tightly and resting his forehead against hers, sighing contently when she wrapped her arms around his waist. "It'll make his whole year," Zuko agreed. He imagined the look on his uncle's face, cleared his throat, and added, his voice thick. "Thank you, Katara."

Katara leaned back to lock eyes with him. "I should be the one thanking you," she said, echoing their exchange from five years prior when Zuko had taken lightning for her.

Zuko released a trembling breath as he beckoned her back into his embrace, holding her firmly against his chest. He responded with "I love you," as if it was the simplest thing in the world. As Katara nuzzled into his chest, she supposed that at the root of it all, it really was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the wait! work's been busy and i haven't had time to write so i'm slowing down updates so it doesn't eat away at my cushion of already-written chapters T_T


End file.
